And Baby Makes Three
by NachtcGleiskette
Summary: After the events of Evo, an unexpected romance blossoms between two unlikely members of opposing teams. When a careless moment leads to a life changing situation, how will they deal? Kanda!
1. Chapter 1

So, this is really an exercise, stream of consciousness fic. I started it with no real plan, and am continuing it and letting it unfurl. Hope you enjoy!

~&Q~

She stared at the stick, almost willing it to change. Short of her powers, nothing would make it budge. Two blue lines. Who would think something as insignificant as a line would change her life forever?

Wanda dropped it, putting her head in her hands. It wasn't _really_ possible, was it? She'd known of girls getting pregnant at her age, but it would never happen to _her_. Her mind went to the morning, several weeks ago. Waking up in Kurt's arms, something so rare, as they worked so hard to hide their relationship from their friends. The gentle kisses of morning becoming more heated, their bodies pressing against each other, and the sigh of disappointment when he reached for a condom and found none left. Like idiots, they let their passions overtake their common sense. He'd pull out, and anyway, they'd had sex the night before, how potent could he be? It didn't happen after _one time_. It couldn't. They'd been _so careful_ every other time.

She wanted to take back every single moment of that morning. Even the night before. Take back every moment, cancel them out. Make so it never happened, and she and Kurt could just be together and she wouldn't be tasked with this unbelievable burden.

A tear traced down her cheek, and she wiped it away roughly. She was so stupid, _so stupid_. Her whole life she'd been so guarded, kept herself away from these complex feelings, and the moment she lets her guard down, and allows herself to be happy with someone, _this_ happens. What would Kurt say? He'd leave her, probably. Because that's what people did when her life was difficult. That's what her father did, how could she expect any different from Kurt?

Yet, a part of her in the back of her mind assured her it wouldn't be the case. She couldn't deny her experience. Lord, how was she going to tell him? Wiping her face again, she stood up, and tossed the stick to the bottom of the trash can, being sure to cover it with a large amount of tissue. Whatever was going to happen, she couldn't sit in the bathroom for the rest of her life. A loud pounding on the door took her attention.

"Jesus, Wanda, you've been in there for 20 minutes!" her brother called from the other side.

Wanda opened the door, giving him a glare. Pietro shrunk back slightly, then glared back. "Do you have diarrhea or something?"

"Pietro," Wanda sighed. "No, gross."

"Well, other people need to use the bathroom," he sped in, closing the door. Wanda turned away, heading to her room to finish getting ready for school.

"Babycakes!" She sighed inwardly as Toad called to her. "Is your tummy sick? I can make you feel better!"

"Not _now_ Toad," she let out a little bolt in his direction, and slammed her door after entering her room. The rest of the morning, she operated on autopilot. In the back of her mind, she considered not going to school at all. But sitting with her thoughts, all day, freaked her out even more. She needed the distraction.

Wanda didn't bother to ask the others about school, just headed off on her own. They were at about 70% on their attendance rate, and she used to be right there with him, before Kurt. She smiled a bit, thinking about him. School was the one place they always saw each other, and since they started dating, she found herself never wanting to miss a day. Today, though, she wasn't sure she wanted to see him. There was a meeting point a block away from the Brotherhood house where he'd typically meet her for a quick teleport to the school, but she went a different way this morning. She couldn't face him yet.

It was cold. She pulled her coat in tighter. Her stomach grumbled a bit, and Wanda realized she had completely skipped breakfast. Or, maybe it was the baby. _NO_. She sighed at herself. She was hungry. That was it.

The final bell had already rung when she got to the school. She dragged her feet, taking as much time as possible. She slunk into homeroom late, to the irritation of her teacher, and received detention. The rest of the morning was like a fog, and when lunch rolled around, she made her way outside, avoiding contact with as many people as possible.

Wanda's stomach grumbled further, but she found satisfaction in denying herself food today. She found a shady place in the back of the school and sat, hoping to hide herself for the duration of her lunch period.

"Wanda?" she closed her eyes at the accented voice calling her name, opening them on the holographically hidden visage of her boyfriend. "I waited for you this morning."

"Yeah," she looked away from him. "I got a late start."

He sat beside her. "You didn't call or anything."

"I know," she still averted her gaze. "It was just not a good morning."

She felt his arm move around her. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No," she shifted away from him, and stood. "Kurt, I have to go, listen, I'll call you later, ok?" She didn't even wait for him to respond, just turned and rushed away from him.

She felt horrible, but couldn't face him at the moment. Her stomach gurgled again, but in a different way, and she rushed herself to the bathroom. After heaving out what little was left in her stomach, Wanda just collapsed beside the toilet. She wished she could just take back the morning, and let everything go back to normal.

~&Q~

The rest of the day creeped by, and finally at the end, Wanda trudged her way back to the house. Her phone beeped a few times, certainly Kurt trying to get her attention, but she ignored it. It was Friday, which meant she could hide herself away for a few days before having to face anyone.

She ignored her housemates and locked herself away.


	2. Chapter 2

Her phone went off all night. The next morning she woke up to a slew of texts and missed calls from Kurt. She turned it off, and rolled over in her bed. As she was closing her eyes, she felt a wave of nausea and rushed to the bathroom.

"Whoa," Lance jumped out of the way as Wanda slammed the door behind her. "Hey!" he smacked the door. "I was going in there!"

"I'll be out in a minute!" Wanda called, between heaves. Finally, feeling settled, she flushed and walked out. "Can't you be a gentleman for a second, Lance?"

"I will when I see a lady," he scowled at her as he brushed past. Wanda sighed and headed back to her room, only to be stopped again.

"Still feeling sick," Todd stood by her door. "Lemme nurse you back to health!"

"Toad," she threatened. "Leave me alone."

"But baby-" she slammed the door behind her, hoping Todd would take the hint. She collapsed on her bed, barely holding in the tears. As much as she wanted to put it all out of her mind, she couldn't.

"Wanda."

She bolted up, turning to see Kurt perched in her desk chair. "What are you doing here?!" She demanded, sitting up.

"I've been texting you," he told her. "And calling. You seemed upset yesterday, I was worried."

"So you come and break in to my room?" she scowled at him. "I told you, you can't come here."

Kurt sighed. "What am I supposed to do then? Three days ago you were fine and now you won't talk to me?"

She shook her head. "We agreed, we'd keep this a secret. Remember? It's best for both of us. You _promised_ you'd never come here unexpected like this."

"Yeah, well," he stood, throwing his hands up in the air. "I'll go, then. Fine. But what is going on? Are you breaking up with me? Is that what this is? Because if it is, just tell me."

Wanda paused, looking away from him. He was so far from the truth, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him.

Kurt frowned at her silence. "Ok," he let out a breath, closing his eyes. "Ok, then."

As he turned from her, she stood. "No, Kurt." He paused, turning back to her. Wanda felt tears stinging her eyes. She had to tell him. He _deserved_ to know, and if it meant he left her, then so be it. At this point, she seemed to be losing him without telling him. She began to shake a bit, the tears trailing down her cheeks.

"Wanda," Kurt whispered, moving close. His hand moved up to cup her cheek, wiping away her tears. "Please tell me what's wrong."

She put her hand over his, finally looking up to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry-" she paused, then looked away from him again. Taking a large, shuddering breath, she forced herself to say it. "I'm pregnant."

She could feel Kurt stiffen, and his hand left her cheek. Wanda looked back up at him, and he was still as a statue. After a few blinks, he raised his brow at her. "Vas?"

"I'm pregnant," she repeated.

Kurt shook his head. "Nien."

She nodded, looking down again.

She could hear him take a big breath. He fell backward into the chair heavily, making a loud thud. She was nervous someone may have heard, but more concerned about what was going through his mind. Wanda wanted to move close to him, but was nervous he'd reject her.

After what seemed like forever, he looked up to her. "How?"

Wanda looked at her hands. "That morning," she started. "A few weeks ago?"

He rubbed his face with his hands. "Oh."

The silence enveloped them again. The longer they were quiet, the more she needed him to say something, _anything_. He jumped up, suddenly. "I have-" he stuttered. "I have to go. I'll be back, but I have-" before he could finish the thought, he'd teleported away.

Wanda stared at where he had just been, and slowly sank back into her bed. Exactly what she'd feared. Her eyes traveled down, to her stomach, to where the tiny life that was half her, half Kurt currently resided. What was she going to do?

~&Q~

She'd spent the day in and out of bed, only really leaving for trips to the bathroom. She'd forgone eating again today, though she was sure anything she'd eat she wouldn't have kept down - between the stress and what she suspected was morning sickness.

Her mind flitted through her options. She had no idea what to expect from Kurt, and was hurt by how he'd left that morning. What was she going to do? Could she actually have this baby? She couldn't think of a moment in her life that she'd ever interacted with a baby. She briefly considered adoption, but with the way things were, what chances were there for a mutant child? Kurt had been born the way he looked, what was in store for this baby? As she ruminated, the idea of termination loomed in the back of her mind. Could she _really_ raise a child? Especially if Kurt weren't involved?

She was going back and forth, but her fear was pushing her more and more toward ending it. Wanda wasn't meant to be a mother, and certainly not so soon. The idea brought new tears to her eyes. The guilt she felt was immense, and the whole while she wondered if anything between her and Kurt would ever be the same again.

The sun had set, and she still lay in bed. As she turned over, pulling her pillow close, she heard a soft, familiar sound behind her. Wanda turned her head, Kurt standing in the dark. He quietly climbed into the bed, putting his arms around her.

"Liebe," he sighed into her hair. Wanda began to sob against him, just feeling so relieved to have him close. "Shhh, mien schatz. Don't cry."

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. After a few moments, she was able to take a shuddering breath. Finally, she looked up at him, his warm eyes looking down at her. "What are we going to do, Kurt?"

He kissed her head, pulling her close again. "We are going to have a baby, ja?"

Wanda pulled away from him. "But _how_ can we?"

"It's happening," he told her, his hand moving to her stomach. "It's not what we planned, but it's happening now. We'll make the best of it."

"But," she paused, looking away from him. "What if I can't? What if I can't be a mother?"

"Wanda," he started, hesitantly, choosing his words carefully. "Whatever you want, is what we'll do."

Wanda thought a moment. "Well… what do you want?" she asked him.

He gave her a soft smile. "I want to be with _you_ , Wanda." He paused, his eyes unfocusing, becoming thoughtful. "We're young, but… I want to raise our baby with you. I think we can be a family." He looked to her. "I'm sorry about how I ran out. It was a shock, ja? But I thought more on it, and if I could plan the rest of my life, it would have you in it." His hand drifted to her stomach once again. "It might be hard, but God gave us this."

She put her hand over his, grasping it tightly. The idea didn't seem so impossible when Kurt was with her. "What will we tell everyone?"

He shrugged. "I don't care what they think. I _love_ you, Wanda Maximoff. You are my everything. As long as we have each other, who cares what the rest of the world does?"

Wanda leaned in, and pressed her lips to his gently. "I love you, Kurt," she started. "But I don't want to say anything to them. Not yet."

"We will keep it the way it is, then," he told her. "Until we're ready. For now," he stroked her stomach lightly. "We focus on us, and our little one."


	3. Chapter 3

Kurt had an effect on Wanda unlike anything she'd felt before. When he was beside her, the world seemed so much more forgiving, the air felt lighter, and the day brighter. She could take on anything with him, including now their decision that they would, in less than a year, become parents.

He'd been making a habit of spending the night with her more often than not. After hours, he'd teleport to her room, and they'd lay in each other's arms until the morning, when he'd return to the institute. They saw each other daily in school, but were careful not to give each other much attention. It was harder for Kurt, who, since she had revealed her pregnancy, was extra doting. She loved the attention, but still wanted to keep their relationship to themselves. The amount of hate she knew they were due to face from both teams was more than she was prepared for. Though, with this baby on the horizon, it was only a matter of time before they all knew.

Wanda was happy to simply let them find out then. Her relationship with Kurt was for her and Kurt, and no one else.

Weeks had passed, and Wanda had made it through what she assumed was her first trimester. She couldn't be sure, as they hadn't been to a doctor, but her internet research and monitoring of her symptoms told her that she was reaching three months. There was no indication of a baby yet, her stomach still flat, and her sickness had abated immensely.

It was a Saturday, and Kurt had taken her to a secluded beach, several miles from the institute, where they would hopefully not be seen. The beach was deserted, it still being early spring and there being a chill in the air, leaving him able to turn off his image inducer. She much preferred his blue self.

They lay together on a blanket, her head on his stomach, his hand on hers. It was lazy, easy, just being together, which made them happy. "This is nice," she said to him.

"Ja," he agreed. They lay a bit longer in silence. "You know," he started. "I am thinking, it might be good for you to see a doctor."

Wanda twisted around to look at him. "I can't see a doctor," she told him. "Besides, we _know_ I'm pregnant."

"I know," he agreed. "But… what if something goes wrong? I read an article about all the things that can happen to a woman during pregnancy." He paused. "Plus, next month we could get an ultrasound and see if it's a boy or girl."

"Or see if it has a tail or whatever else and leave us open to mutant hate," she sighed. "I'm sure I'll be fine, Kurt."

"I'm not," he told her. "We don't have to go to an outside doctor. I can take you to Dr. McCoy."

Wanda sat up. "We agreed we wouldn't tell anyone."

Kurt sat up as well. "I won't stick to that if it means you'll be hurt. And we can tell Dr. McCoy and the Professor. They won't say a thing." He shrugged. "And don't you wonder about the baby?"

"Well, yeah," she agreed. "But I don't want to throw a wrench in everything. I like how we are _now_ , without everyone judging us."

"It's something we have to face sooner or later," Kurt told her. "It's not like when they baby is born we can keep this up. Unless we run away."

Wanda gave him a little smile. "Can't we just do that, though? Just you and me and the baby?"

Kurt smirked at her. "As romantic as it seems, liebe, it's not terribly rational. Could you leave your friends forever? Your family? I know I couldn't." He moved closer to her, taking her hand. "I love you, and I want you to be well. Please, just go and see Dr. McCoy? Make sure everything is fine."

Wanda sighed. There was little Kurt could ask of her that she wouldn't do. Her eyes narrowed. "He won't say anything?"

"Nein," Kurt shook his head. "Doctor/patient confidentiality."

"Alright," Wanda agreed. "Just a check up."

~&Q~

Kurt arranged for her to come by the next week. It was scheduled at the same time as a team danger room session, so most everyone would be occupied and she could slip in and out easily.

"Miss Maximoff," the large blue mutant greeted her with a smile. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Ok," she replied, nervously. Her eyes traveled around the well-stocked infirmary as she played with her fingers. The home of the X-Men had so much more than the dilapidated house the Brotherhood lived in.

"There's no reason to be nervous." Hank's voice was kind. "It'll just be a quick check, to make sure your pregnancy is progressing normally."

Wanda nodded. Hank busied himself about the room as he spoke. "I must say, it was quite the shock when Kurt told me," he turned to her.

"Yeah, it was a shock to me, too," she told him.

"I'm sure. So young to be in such a predicament," he sighed. "Though, here we are." Wanda frowned at his disapproving attitude. He took some vitals, then asked her to lay back. "I've managed to get ahold of an ultrasound machine. Let's see what's going on inside."

He lifted Wanda's shirt and she shivered as he applied the ultrasound gel to her belly. She stared down at it, noticing for the first time the slightest bump. Hank maneuvered the wand over her. "Where are you hiding," he squinted at the screen. "Aha. There he is!"

Wanda watched the screen timidly. She didn't see anything, just black and white blotches. One of the blotches flickered. "What is that?"

"The heart," Hank told her. "See that? And here," he pointed to another blob. "This is his head."

"It's a boy?" Wanda questioned.

"Well, it's too early to know that," Hank replied. "I guess I just defaulted to male pronouns. In a few weeks we can say for certain if you've got a little prince or princess." His eyes narrowed at the screen again. "What is…" he paused. "Well, look here." He pointed a long, thin sliver. "Looks like baby takes after his father."

Wanda raised a brow. "That's a tail?"

Hank nodded. "It looks like it. I must say, I don't think there's been a recorded birth of a third generation mutant. Most fascinating."

Wanda watched the screen as Hank went on about all the possibilities. Her eye traveled to the little tail, a smile coming over her face. Just like his Daddy.

~&Q~

I love all the reviews! Thanks so much :D. I am happy to be sharing this, and love that you are enjoying it :)


	4. Chapter 4

Hank had given Wanda a print out of the sonogram. She lay in bed, her fingers tracing over all the parts she could recognize. Head, arms, tail. Her baby. She smiled and her hand traveled to that tiny bump.

The soft sound of her boyfriend arriving took her attention. She turned to see Kurt removing his jacket. "Sorry," he sighed. "Everyone has been getting on my case about not hanging out. I had to agree to watch a movie with Kitty and Evan in order for them to leave me alone."

"It's ok," she smiled at him as he climbed into bed next to her. She held the picture out to him. "Look."

He took it and his brow furrowed. "What is it?"

Wanda laid her head on his shoulder as she pointed everything out. "That's the head, and that's a hand. And down here is an itty bitty tail."

Kurt grinned. "It's our baby?" Wanda nodded against him, as he pulled it closer to inspect. "A little tail, huh?" He turned to her. "So it went well? Everything is ok?"

"Dr. McCoy said everything looks normal. As normal as it can be at least," she pulled him closer to her. "He wants me to come back next month to find out the sex."

Kurt leaned in and kissed her. "Thank you, Wanda."

He put the sonogram on her bedside table, propping it up so they could both see it. They snuggled into each other, looking at their future in that small, black and white image.

~&Q~

The next few weeks found Wanda showing more and more. In the first three months there had been nothing, and suddenly the bump was blowing up. She swapped for looser fitting clothing, but wondered how much longer she would be able to keep this secret.

Once the bump was apparent, Kurt couldn't keep his hands off it. He rubbed it, and more than once spoke to it, as if the baby within could hear anything. She didn't mind most times, but once in a while it would irritate the hell out of her. As the pregnancy progressed, she found herself becoming shorter and shorter with things that annoyed her. Toad, especially, found himself on the other end of her wrath. All the boys she lived with were becoming harder for her to deal with. She was grateful every evening, when Kurt would teleport in and she'd be able to curl up beside him.

The holidays were fast approaching. Wanda never knew what to do with herself around this time. Last year there hadn't been much celebration at all. She had vague memories when she was young, but they were fuzzy and few.

With the holidays coming, it meant that winter break was coming. She'd been exhausted lately, and looked forward to a week without school. Perhaps a week with Kurt, a week they could spend just the two of them. She smiled at the thought.

One night, only a few days before the holiday break, Kurt had shown up in the evening with a bag of wrapped packages. Wanda lifted a brow at him.

"Happy Hanukkah?" he said uncertainly. "This is how it works, ja? Tonight is the first night?"

Wanda smirked at him, taking one of them as he offered it. "Yeah. I didn't think you'd have known."

"Well, I looked it up," he told her, then laid the bag on her bed. "There's eight in here. One for every night. Right?"

Wanda laughed at him. "You didn't have to do this!" she turned the package over in her hands. "I didn't even get you anything yet."

"It's ok," he told her. "We can do Christmas when I get back."

Wanda looked to him. "When you get back? Where are you going?"

"Germany," he told her. "It's why I brought them all. I'm leaving tomorrow."

Wanda put the box down. "You didn't tell me that."

"Oh," he replied. "I guess I assumed-" he paused. "I'm going home to see my parents for the holidays. I'll be back right after New Years, though."

"Why wouldn't you _tell_ me," she looked to him angrily. Her plans for the holidays completely gone.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't think-"

"You _didn't_ think," she stood up, glaring at him. "You didn't think _at all_ about me. You just make your own plans, and who cares about Wanda!" She took a breath. "Is this is how it's going to be then? You do your thing, don't even tell me. I'll just stay home and take care of the baby while you just live your life like nothings even changed!"

" _Nein!"_ Kurt's eyes widened at her. "Not at _all_ Wanda! But I can't just _not_ go home for Christmas." He moved forward, taking her hand. "I'm going to tell my parents while I'm home, about you and the baby. Next year, you'll come _with_ me."

Her emotions were taking over, and she could feel tears starting. She felt stupid, crying over this. Kurt's expression melted as the tears rolled, which made her cry all the more. "Liebe, please don't cry."

"I just don't want to spend a whole _week_ by myself," she told him. "You didn't even think about that."

Kurt sighed. "I'm sorry," he told her. "But I promise, I'll be back before you know it. And then we'll go to Dr. McCoy together and find out about our baby." He moved to the bag, and dug to the bottom, pulling out a small box. "Here," he handed it for her. "I numbered it to be the last one, but open it."

She took the box and sat down again, slowly pulling the wrapping off. Opening the small, velvet box, she spied a pendant, a circle with two small spheres. In closer inspection, it appeared to be a mother's arms, encircling a small child. She put her hand to her mouth.

Kurt sat beside her, putting his arms around her. "Ich liebe dich," he whispered, kissing her hair. "We'll never spend a holiday apart again after this. I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

He'd spent the night, but was gone the next morning. Wanda looked around at the other parcels he'd left behind. She didn't feel like opening them with him gone, but she loved how thoughtful he'd been with them. She found the first one he'd handed to her, labeled with a big number '1' and turned it over. Curiosity got the best of her, and she began to unwrap it, smiling as she pulled a small silver menorah and candles out of the box. She set it up on her desk, sighing as she thought of the next week without him.

She took the other gifts and pushed them under her bed, in case any of the boys came snooping. Her hand went to the velvet box, opening it again to look at the necklace within. She took it out, and stood at her mirror, clasping it around her neck. Wanda admired it on her, and her hand fell on her stomach. "What do you think? Daddy did good, huh?"

She wrapped both hands around the pudge, as she realized she was _speaking_ to the baby. She hadn't done that before, and looked down. "Can you hear me?" It seemed preposterous that the baby could, she wasn't even sure if he had ears yet. But she found some comfort in speaking to it. She understood why Kurt always did. Wanda rubbed her hand over her stomach again. "Let's go get breakfast." She pulled on an oversized sweatshirt and headed down the stairs.

The boys were all surrounding the television. None of them even looked up as she walked past the living room and into the kitchen. The fridge offered little, but at least the milk seemed to still be good. She found a box of cereal and poured herself a bowl, walking into the other room and finding an empty spot on the couch next to Fred.

Pietro looked to her and made a face. "Maybe you should lay off the carbs, Wan."

Wanda glared at him. "What?"

"You're looking puffy, wearing baggy clothes all the time," he shrugged. "Maybe eat a salad. Don't want that to be your future." He pointed to Fred.

She looked back to her cereal. "I'm not puffy."

"You're beautiful, babycakes," Toad told her, and she rolled her eyes. "You could be 500 pounds and you'd still be gorgeous."

"Have you ever _seen_ someone who is 500 pounds, Toad?" Pietro countered.

"I'm 450," Fred said with a sad look. "It's not _so_ bad."

Wanda sighed and stood, taking her cereal to her room and letting the boys have their insipid argument. She looked again to her stomach, shrouded by the sweatshirt. She had maybe less time than she thought to keep this secret.

~&Q~

The next few days were tough. She was lonely without Kurt. He'd called a few times, and they spent some time on the phone, but it wasn't the same. The last time he called, he was gearing up to tell his parents. She hoped it went well, she had no idea what his parents reaction might be.

She didn't hear from him again until the day he was set to come home. Once he landed at JFK, Wanda got a text and she waited eagerly for him to come to her. It was a few hours before he was able to break himself away from the X-Men, but finally he arrived in her room. She flung herself into his arms as soon as he did.

"Miss me?" he smiled, pulling her in close.

" _So_ much," she told him, pulling him tight.

He wrapped his arms around her, then lifted a brow, pulling away. "Your stomach," he moved his hands to it.

"I know!" she sighed. "It's gotten bigger in only a _week_."

"Is that normal?" he asked her.

Wanda shrugged. "I dunno. But we have an appointment with Dr. McCoy in two days."

Kurt nodded. He kissed her head. "I told my parents."

"Oh?" she looked up to him.

"They want to meet you," he said. "They want me to bring you home for spring break."

Wanda lifted a brow. "Is that a good idea?"

"Ja," he told her with a smile. "They want to meet the mother of their grandchild."

"They're ok with it?"

"Well," he started. "They're not completely thrilled with the fact that we're having a baby so young. But still," he paused. "It is as it is, ja?"

Wanda nodded. "So," Kurt continued. "In March we go to Germany." His hand found her stomach again. "You will meet Oma und Opa little one." He smiled as he stroked his hand over her. She put her hand with his, squeezing gently.

~&Q~

"Mien Gott," Kurt stared at the screen in wonder. "It's waving at us!"

Hank chuckled. "He's very active today," he moved the wand over Wanda's belly. "Now, let's see if we have a he or a she."

Wanda looked to the screen intently, as the angle changed around the baby. Kurt held tight to her hand, and they both watched their child.

"Let's see," Hank's brow furrowed. "Aha. Well, it looks like you're having a little girl."

"Girl?" Wanda smiled wide, then looked to Kurt. "It's a girl."

Kurt's eyes shone with pride, watching the screen. "Little girl. Mien madchen." He looked to Wanda, and leaned down to brush a kiss against her lips. "We're having a daughter, mien liebechen."

She kissed him back, then her eyes moved back to the screen. Knowing the baby's sex somehow made her all the more real. _Her._ Their baby girl.


	6. Chapter 6

Knowing they were having a girl, they started planning for her impending arrival. Wanda was now almost six months, over halfway through already. The first day she could finally feel the baby, poking within, was another validation. Since then, she was thrilled every time she felt the little girl within.

She and Kurt had begun discussing names, yet had not come to any agreements yet. He had a preference for German names, but she wasn't interested in her daughter being Heidi or Gretchen. She'd bought a baby names book, which she was currently combing though. She had made it to H.

Her belly was becoming far harder to hide. The loose clothing wasn't so loose anymore. She was getting side eyes in school on a daily basis, but no one had said anything. She was still pretty intimidating to most, and she was sure no one would have the nerve to say anything to her face.

Except, of course, her brother. He'd been poking fun at her for weeks now. Making fat jokes, pretending the furniture she was sitting in was creaking, making comments every time she ate. It was getting severely on her nerves, but also making her incredibly self conscious. Toad still professed his undying love, but she was so grateful for Kurt, who made her feel beautiful even as she felt she was ballooning up to an unbelievable size.

As she approached her third trimester, she found she had less and less patience. She was short with people, and the pregnancy was becoming uncomfortable. She started missing days at school, which put her on her housemate's schedule. On top of it, Hank had nixed her flying to Germany, as he was nervous about what it would mean for the pregnancy. She'd spoken on the phone with Kurt's parents, and they seemed genuine, though she felt nervous chatting with them. His mother asked her a thousand questions from how she was feeling to what she was eating. She knew they were just curious, but she felt some of the questioning was a little invasive. Kurt saved her, promising them they'd keep in touch and they'd see each other when summer came.

She'd slept in, missing the first three periods. Clearly, she wasn't going to school today. As she rolled herself out of bed, she felt a pain in her lower back. "Ow," she sighed, pushing against it. Her daughter shifted, suddenly placing her weight directly against the crick in her back. "Ow!" She pushed against it again. "Move, little love," she tried to push hard enough that the baby would move, but to no avail. Wanda sighed and threw on her robe, heading downstairs for breakfast.

"Finally awake, huh?" Pietro stood by the kitchen table, Toad and Fred with him.

"Yes," she sighed, moving to the refrigerator. "Where's Lance?"

"He's back on the Kitty train," Fred told her. "So he's at school."

"Ugh, I don't know what he sees in her," Pietro made a face. "Why would anyone go for one of those X-Geeks?"

Fred shrugged. "She's pretty."

"She's an _idiot_ ," Pietro replied. "They all are."

Wanda couldn't help growing irritated with her brother. "Maybe he likes her?"

"Then he's an idiot," Pietro told her. He eyed the sandwich she was currently building. "You really need so much mayo on that?"

Wanda gritted her teeth at him. "I _like_ it, Pietro."

He shrugged. "It's like everything you eat just attaches itself to you," he sighed. "Do you _like_ being fat?"

"I'm _not_ fat," Wanda said angrily.

Pietro lifted a brow. "Did you lose your mirror? Come on, Wanda, all you wear are sweats anymore."

"I'm _not_ fat!" she looked to him, her anger growing.

"There ain't nothin' wrong with it," Todd said to her. "You're curvy, baby. It's sexy."

As her anger grew, she could feel her power start to swell in her fists, bringing them to her side. "I am _not_ fat, you moron's, I'm _fucking pregnant_!" Her mouth snapped shut as soon as she said it.

The other boys gaped at her.

"What?" Todd was the first to speak.

Pietro stared at her. "You-"

Wanda took a deep breath. It was out now. She couldn't take it back.

"Uhhh, I, uhhhh," Fred stood, and backed out of the room.

"You're _pregnant_?!" Pietro's brows shot up. "How?! What?! _WHO?!_ "

"Pregnant," Todd's expression melted.

"It's not your business," she told Pietro.

"Like hell it's not," Pietro started. "You're my sister! Who the hell did this to you? I'll be damned if some guy is going to knock up my sister and run off."

"He hasn't run off," Wanda told him. "We've been together almost a year."

"Who is it?" Todd asked, in a small voice.

Wanda sighed. "It's not important."

" _Yes it is_ ," Pietro demanded. "Who is it? Do I know him?"

Wanda hedged. She couldn't tell him. _She_ was the one who had been so adamant that they keep their relationship a secret. Yet, still, in a matter of months they'd be outed. She couldn't pretend her newborn daughter's tail wasn't inherited from the only person with a tail they all knew. For all she knew, the baby could be blue as well.

Wanda wrapped her hands around her stomach. "Yes, you know him."

Todd stood up. " _Who_?" She could see the hurt in his face, but really it made her angry. What right did he have to be hurt? His crush on her had always been painfully one sided, and he was acting in a way that made her uncomfortable.

She took a breath, and looked between the two of them. "Kurt."

Pietro quirked a brow. "Who?"

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Kurt Wagner. _Nightcrawler_?"

Todd gasped, and Pietro's other brow shot up. "That blue X-Geek? Are you kidding me, Wanda?!"

"Why?" Todd let out, his expression anguished.

"We didn't plan this," she indicated her belly. "But we're working it out."

"You're nuts," Pietro said. "That blue furry freak? You let him-" he made a disgusted face. "I can't even look at you."

"You don't have to," Wanda glared at him. Pietro's words stung her. Kurt was, _in no terms,_ a freak. He was one of the most beautiful people she'd ever met, he had changed her for the better and in more ways than one saved her life. She wouldn't listen to her brother speak this way about him. She made a decision, albeit a hasty one. "I'm moving out."

"Oh, really?" Pietro rolled his eyes. He followed after as she walked to the stairs. "Where you gonna go?"

"Don't worry about it," she glared at him. Wanda ran up the stairs and immediately barricaded herself behind her door. She could hear Pietro still calling after her, but she ignored him. She grabbed her phone off her bedside table and his speed dial. It rang several times, then went to voice mail. Wanda fell backward on her bed, letting out a long, shuddering breath. Don't cry, not now.

Her phone began to vibrate, and she opened it, putting it to her ear quick. "Kurt?"

"Wanda," he replied. "I was in class, I had to duck out. Are you ok?"

"Yeah," she told him, then her face crumpled as the tears flowed. "I need to see you."

She heard a bamf and he was in her room. "What's going on? What happened? The baby-" He knelt in front of her, his hands going to her stomach.

"It's ok," she told him, still reeling from the argument. "She's fine."

"What about you?" His face was concerned.

"They know," she told him.

His brow lifted. "They?"

"Pietro, Todd," she sighed. "They know. I told them."

"I thought we weren't going to yet," Kurt's brow furrowed.

"We weren't, but I snapped," she took another breath. "I'm sorry."

"Shhh," he pulled her in close. "It's ok mien leibe."

She held onto him tightly. "That's not all," she started. "I need to move out."

He parted, looking at her. "They're kicking you out?"

Wanda shook her head. "No. But I don't want to be here anymore. Not with _them._ "

He nodded. "You will come to the institute," he told her. "We can find you a place. I'll talk to the professor." Kurt smiled. "You'll be so much better looked after there."

"Wanda!" there was a pounding on the door, her brother calling from the other side. "Open up!"

Wanda wiped her eyes, moving to stand, but Kurt put his hand on her shoulder. He stood and went to the door, opening it to find Pietro on the other side.

" _Wagner_ ," he spat, his eyes narrowing.

"Pietro," Kurt glared at him. "What do you want?"

"I want to talk to my _sister_."

"We're done talking, Pietro," Wanda told him, angrily.

"Alright," Pietro turned his eye on Kurt. "Then I'll talk to you. _Stay away_ from her."

Kurt's brow furrowed, and Wanda shot up, coming to the door. "It's a little late for that, isn't it, Pietro?"

"Whatever's going on here, end it," Pietro ignored Wanda. "Let her find someone _normal_."

Kurt's expression grew angry, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned to Wanda. "I'll take you home."

"Please," she sighed.

"Don't do it, Wagner!" Pietro threatened. "I'm telling you now!"

By then, Kurt had teleported them both. They appeared in his bedroom, a place Wanda had not yet been. It was so hard to sneak around the institute, they'd always found it much easier at the boarding house. Wanda fell backward onto the bed, letting the sobs overcome her. She _hated_ having left her twin like that, but she _couldn't_ stay there anymore. She couldn't bring her daughter into that home, to a place where her uncle would so wantonly throw around the term 'freak'.

Kurt lay next to her, wrapping his arms around her and giving her gentle kisses on the cheek. "It's ok," he sighed. "It's ok."

Wanda hiccupped a few times, but found herself calming in his arms. Her hand went to her stomach, feeling their daughter turning within. She took a deep breath, calming herself. She had to do best by her. Her greatest responsibility was to this girl.


	7. Chapter 7

They'd fallen asleep like that, fully clothed. When Wanda awoke, at first she wasn't sure where she was. A blue, fuzzy arm around her reminded her of earlier that day. She turned, seeing Kurt still asleep. A golden eye slit open, then he shifted with a yawn.

Wanda leaned forward and kissed him, pulling his face to her with her hands. He kissed back, and the shifted together, her underneath him. He was careful about her belly, but brought one hand to it as they kissed. It had been a _long time_ since they'd been physical with each other, and the more they kissed, the more Wanda yearned for it. She needed him, _right now_.

Her hands moved down his body, first slipping under his shirt. She stroked them down further, pulling on his pants, her hand working the button. As she dipped her hand into his pants, he tensed and pulled away from her.

"What are you doing?" he arched a brow.

She furrowed hers at him. "What do you think?" she leaned in to capture his lips again.

He pulled back. "Wanda," he sighed. "I can't do that."

She sat up on her arms. "What are you talking about?" she looked at her growing belly. "You _have._ "

"I know," he paused. "But, the _baby_."

"What about her?" she asked.

"What if-" he paused again. "What if I hurt her? What if I… bump into her or something?"

Wanda rolled her eyes, sitting up fully. "Kurt," she sighed. How did she even begin to explain?

Before she had a chance, he made a face. Looking to her he frowned. "We're busted."

~&Q~

Professor Charles Xavier sat across from the two young mutants, his fingers steepled. "We have strict rules about this, Kurt," he addressed the boy. "You know this."

"Ja," Kurt nodded. "I was going to bring her to you, Professor."

"I am aware," he answered. "But you took her to your room first. And you're cutting school."

"She was upset," Kurt frowned, gesturing to her. "We discussed it, Professor. She's my first priority."

"Kurt," he started. "I admire your want to protect her and your child. But still, we need to follow the rules." He paused. "I will not be punishing you, but I ask that you follow the rules in the future. As for you, Miss Maximoff," he turned to Wanda. "I suppose we will have to find a place for you."

"I want to stay with Kurt," she told him.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Xavier responded. "We have a responsibility to our students, and to the parents of our students, to not encourage any sexual behavior. As such, we'll be finding you a room in the girls' dorms."

Wanda sighed, looking to Kurt. He gave her a small smile, with a shrug.

"It's temporary, Miss Maximoff," Xavier told them. "You see, we're not equipped to deal with the unique needs of an infant. As well, I have no intention of putting mother and child on one side of the institute, with father on the other." He looked to Kurt. "I am trying to find a suitable place for the _three_ of you, that will still fulfil our standards and rules. Until then, we'll have to settle with what we have."

Kurt nodded, and reached out to take Wanda's hand. She took his as well, and he gave it a squeeze.

Xavier smiled at them. "I will have everything settled in the hour."

~&Q~

Kurt helped Wanda pack her things at the boarding house, and bring them to the institute. Thankfully, no one was around when they 'ported back and forth. By the time they had her stuff moved, Xavier had allocated her a room, between Kitty and Rogue.

Wanda sat heavily on the bed as Kurt put down the last bag. She let out a breath, her hand going to her stomach. She moved to stand again, to reach for a box, but Kurt stopped her.

"Sit," he told her. "You tell me where it goes, and I'll unpack."

She sat again, and began directing Kurt with her things. He was swift, getting most of it unpacked rather quickly. As he worked, she lay back, her hand stroking slowly over her stomach. Their daughter began to move, and Wanda gasped as she felt the poke on the _outside_ of her stomach.

"What is it?" Kurt turned at the gasp. Wanda simply reached out and took his hand, pressing it to her stomach. After a few beats, there was another kick. Kurt's eyes widened, and he looked up to her.

Wanda smiled wide at him. "Can you believe it?"

"Mien kliene lieber," Kurt knelt down in front of her, pressing his cheek to her stomach. There was another soft poke, making him laugh. "She's strong!"

Wanda nodded. She'd been feeling the baby for weeks, and loved now being able to share this experience with him. They sat a few more moment, Kurt against her, the baby kicking every so often. Wanda lifted her hand to run her fingers through his hair. As mundane as it was, she wanted to burn this memory into her mind forever.

~&Q~

By the time Wanda was fully unpacked and settled, the other kids were coming home from school. She and Kurt had found their way to the TV room, settling in for a movie. She lay on the couch, her head against his shoulder, comfortably. When they heard the door slam open, and the voices of the others, she shot up and moved away from him, out of habit.

Kitty entered first. "Kurt! Where have you been all…" she trailed off at Wanda, sitting beside him on the couch.

Rogue and Evan followed behind, each stopping as well. "What's she doing here?" Evan quirked a brow.

Kitty's eye went to Wanda's belly, now entirely obvious. She leaned to Rogue. "I _knew_ it. Didn't I tell you?" she whispered.

Kurt looked to his friends and his girlfriend. "She lives here now. She's moved in today."

Evan still looked on dubiously. Rogue crossed her arms. "She's an X-Man now, then?"

"No," Kurt shook his head. "She needs a safe place for her."

"Cause she's pregnant, right?" Kitty jumped in. She looked to Rogue again.

Wanda sighed. The drama, the scandal! "Yes," she told her.

Kurt reached out and took her hand. He smiled at her, then turned to his friends. " _We_ are having a daughter."

His friends expressions changed, their mouths literally dropping open. Kitty was the first to speak. "Are you, like… what?!"

"What do you mean _we_?" Rogue demanded.

"Wanda and I," Kurt clarified. "The baby is mine."

"Oh man," Evan sighed. He closed his eyes and threw his hands up. "Ok, I quit." And walked out of the room.

The girls looked after him, then turned back to the couple on the couch. " _How_ did you end up getting Wanda pregnant?!" Kitty asked.

Wanda scoffed. "Is sex ed _that_ bad?" she mumbled.

Kurt ignored her, looking to his friend. "We've been dating for a year." He looked to Wanda. "She's my entire world."

Kitty continued to stare. "But-" she paused. "But she's-"

" _You're_ with Lance," Kurt countered.

"That's different!" Kitty threw her hands up. "Lance isn't _crazy_."

Wanda's expression turned angry. She stood, shakily, and glared at Kitty. "You don't know _anything_ about me."

"Wanda," Rogue started.

Wanda just looked between the two of them, and felt a need to be away from them. She pushed past and headed up to her room.

Kurt met her there. "Wanda!"

She looked to him. "That's what they think of me? _Crazy_ Wanda, huh?"

He sighed. "You're right, they _don't_ know you," he moved closer to her. "Very few people do. _I'm_ lucky enough that you let me get to know you." He placed a hand on her arm. "Don't be mad at them."

She shook her head. "What am I supposed to feel? It's like everyone is against me today!"

"I'm not," he told her. "And who else matters?" He pulled her close. "It's you and me, Wanda. At least, until it's you and me and…." He paused. "Gemma?"

Wanda smirked, and shook her head. "Better than Marlena, though."


	8. Chapter 8

Wanda kept to herself mostly at the institute. The others were adjusting, albeit slowly, to her being there. Before she knew it, another month had passed, putting her firmly into her third trimester. School had ended for the summer, leaving Kurt with far more time to spend with her. She'd not attended enough to pass the grade, meaning she'd be left behind when she returned. If she returned.

Everything seemed to be moving so much quicker. Her belly had grown larger, her feet were swollen to the point that she no longer fit into anything but flip flops, and there were nights she didn't sleep at all. She was worn down, and worst for her, she and Kurt no longer shared a bed every night. She missed having him close to her.

"Hi!" Wanda looked up from her book to see Kitty standing in front of her. "Are you busy?"

Wanda shrugged, putting the book down. Kitty had still been pretty distant, so it was odd to have her reaching out like this.

"I was thinking, like," Kitty began. "Don't you need baby stuff? We should go shopping!"

"Uhhh," she looked around. "I dunno."

"C'mon!" Kitty prodded. "It'll be fun!"

Wanda sighed. She really didn't have anything for the baby, and it _would_ be good to start stocking up. She was just over a month from her due date, when else would she have the time? "Alright."

"This'll be so fun!" Kitty smiled.

~&Q~

It was far more fun than Wanda expected. She found herself fantasizing about her daughter as she picked out little outfits and toys. Kitty helped, picking up a few frilly pink dresses and hair bows. Though, as advanced in her pregnancy as she was, Wanda didn't have the energy to go all day. After a few stores, they'd found a table in the food court for a quick bite and rest.

Wanda let out a breath, pushing her food around. "Aren't you hungry?" Kitty asked. "I thought pregnant people like, were always starving."

"I was," Wanda told her. "But the baby's so big, she's pushing on my stomach. I can't eat that much at a time."

"Weird," Kitty quirked a brow. She played with her fries. They were silent for a while, Kitty avoiding looking at her. Wanda recognized the girl was trying to befriend her, but she wasn't sure she had all that much in common. However, she appreciated the effort. "So, uh…do you have a name yet?"

Wanda shook her head. "No," she sighed. "We can't agree on anything. Kurt keeps coming up with these super German names, and her last name is already Wagner. She doesn't need to be German McGerman. I think, though, he just wants her name to reflect her heritage."

"Then, like, why not pick her first name after yours?" Kitty suggested. She furrowed her brow. "What are you, anyhow?"

"I was raised mostly here," Wanda started. "My mother was Romani, but died when we were very young. My father is Jewish."

Kitty smiled. "I didn't know you were Jewish!"

"Well, not practicing, really," Wanda told her. "We just observe the holidays."

Kitty nodded. "My family too," she told her. "Who'd have thought a staunch Catholic boy like Kurt would end up with a Jewish girl?" Kitty took a sip of her drink. "So, like, is the baby going to be Jewish or Catholic?"

Wanda shrugged, her hand going to her stomach. "I don't know. We haven't really discussed it."

Kitty paused. "Have you considered, like, going with a Hebrew name? There are some nice ones."

"Maybe," Wanda shifted a bit as the baby moved from sleeping on her stomach to poking her bladder. "Ow, jeez," she stood up, looking around. "Where's the bathroom?"

~&Q~

The rest of the day was quite nice. Kitty helped her bring everything to her room, and now Wanda sat amongst the bags and bags of baby items. She was far too tired to actually _do_ anything about them, so just lay back on her bed to rest her eyes.

A knock on the door turned her attention and she smiled at Kurt peeking in. "Busy?"

"No," she beckoned him in with her hand. "Come lay with me."

He smiled and crept in, stepping over her shopping and curling up beside her in bed. "I can't stay too long. The Professor might-"

"I don't care what the Professor thinks," Wanda sighed, pulling him close to her. "I just want to be near you."

Kurt wrapped his arms around her. The baby poked around, making his hand drift to her belly, feeling as she turned within. "Mien schatz. We'll meet you soon."

Wanda put her hand over his. "Very soon. Only a few more weeks." Her mind wandered to what Kitty had mentioned. She imagined it would come up eventually, why not now? "Kurt, how do you feel about raising the baby Jewish?"

His brow went up. "Vas? She needs to be baptized."

"No she doesn't," Wanda told him. "According to Judaism, the baby's religion is passed down from the mother. So, she'd be Jewish."

"Nein," Kurt shifted onto his elbow. " _My daughter_ will be baptized, Wanda."

Wanda furrowed her brow angrily at him. "She's not _your_ daughter, Kurt. She's _our_ daughter. _We_ need to decide, not _you_."

"Wanda," Kurt's brow furrowed as well. "How can I let my daughter miss out on her own salvation? Baptism is the only way she'll make it to heaven. I _can't_ let her-" he paused. "Do you know what happens to unbaptized people in the afterlife?"

Wanda sighed. She always knew how close held Kurt's religious beliefs were, and they were far more precious to him than hers were to her. Still, she didn't feel it fair to let him make this decision alone. "Am I not going to heaven, then?"

Kurt paused. He sat up, looking away from her. Wanda pushed herself up, then stood. "Ok, so it's heaven for you two and hell for me then." Wanda threw her hands up. "You are being _ridiculous_."

Kurt shook his head. "Nein," he told her, standing up. "I can't talk about this anymore. _I want her baptized._ "

" _And I don't_ ," Wanda stood as well. "So what are we going to do?"

Kurt closed his eyes and muttered something in German. "I can't back down."

Wanda glared at him. She turned away. "Then we're done talking."

She heard him sigh then a bamf. Turning, he was gone. Wanda frowned and climbed back into bed.

~&Q~

I got SO many awesome reviews, I decided to post another chapter quick as a thank you for the feedback! It's great to read people are enjoying my fic, and I have a feeling you'll like it more as we go on. Thanks again!


	9. Chapter 9

They were living in the same house, yet over the next couple of days, Wanda saw Kurt less than she'd seen him in the time they'd been together. He was purposefully avoiding her, she was sure.

Kitty had been paying her a lot of attention, however. She'd helped Wanda go through all the items she'd bought, and they'd organized a space in the room for everything. She'd also given Wanda a list of Hebrew baby names she'd found online. Wanda snacked on an apple as she read through the list slowly. As she came to one, there was a firm kick in her stomach. "Talia," she said out loud, then looked to her belly. "It's pretty, huh? Talia."

She turned the name over in her mouth a few times, each time she said it she liked it the more. She was rewarded again with a kick. "You like it?" Wanda smiled.

"Wanda," she turned to her open door, Kurt standing there looking sheepish. "How're you feeling?"

"Ok," she shifted herself, sitting up.

Kurt moved in, his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry, I needed to think," he started. Wanda nodded at him. "But," he sighed. "I cannot give in." He moved closer, his eye meeting hers. "Wanda, I love you, and I would give you anything in the world, but I can't give in here. I can't sacrifice our daughter's soul."

"Kurt," Wanda sighed.

"Nein," he shook his head. "It's too important, Wanda." He stopped, looking away. "Please, understand me. We're damning her before she's even born."

Wanda chewed her lip. As against it she'd been, the way Kurt pleaded with her now made her understand how seriously he took this. She was never as strong in her faith as Kurt was in his, and it was starting to seem unfair to compare the two. She let out a breath. "Kurt, can we come to a compromise?"

He paused. "It depends."

"If we baptize her," Wanda started. "I don't want that to be the indicator of her faith. I want her to have exposure to mine as well. I want her to _choose_ when she's old enough." She paused, looking at him. "I'll let you baptize her only _if_ we raise her in both."

She could see him mulling it over in his mind, before a small smile came on his lips. "Ok," he leaned closer to her. "Thank you, mien liebe."

Wanda leaned in as well, meeting his lips. They kissed and parted, his eye traveling down to her stomach, where he lay his hand. "Our baby girl."

"Talia," Wanda told him.

Kurt looked up to her, silently. He pursed his lips, then they grew into a smile again. He looked back down to her stomach. "Talia."

~&Q~

Time was literally ticking down. Wanda had officially turned to the calendar page with her due date circled. Weeks only left, and they'd have a baby. Her apprehension grew as she crossed out each day.

She had little doubt that Kurt would be a wonderful father. Her doubt lay in whether she could truly handle becoming a mother. She _loved_ this little being inside her, more than she had ever loved anything in her life. But could she handle it when the child was no longer an abstract, and suddenly was there, in her arms?

Kurt assured her she'd be a wonderful mother, but it didn't help. She simply took comfort knowing that at least the baby had him. To make up for what she saw as her shortcomings, she'd been consuming baby books the past few weeks. Trying to find every single thing she could do for her daughter, to make her the best mother she could possibly be. As much as she felt motherhood wouldn't come to her naturally, she'd _learn_ to be a mother.

"What're you reading?" Wanda's attention was taken by one of the last voices she'd expect to hear at the institute. She looked up from her book to glare at the dark haired boy.

"Nothing," she pulled the book up and continued in it.

"'The Mother Baby Bond'," Lance read the title. "Sounds interesting. I guess you'll need it considering…" he trailed off.

Wanda sighed, peering around the book. "What're you doing here, Lance?"

He shrugged. "Waiting for Kitty. We're supposed to go to the mall," he shook his head. "You know, I was pretty surprised when Pietro said you'd moved here."

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Why would you care?"

"I don't, I guess," he sat down. "But, do you like it here?"

Wanda put her book down, looking to him. "I like it well enough," she narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

He shrugged again. "I dunno, been thinking about it, I guess. Kitty keeps pushing me to, but I don't feel like I'll fit in, you know?"

Wanda nodded. "I _don't_ fit in," she told him. Her hand went to her stomach. "But I don't have much choice. I can't raise a baby at the Brotherhood house."

"Yeah, it's not really a good place for anyone," Lance agreed. "But there are _so many_ rules here."

"I know," Wanda rolled her eyes. It was funny, she didn't voice it, but she realized had she been living at the institute from the beginning, she likely never would have gotten pregnant. She and Kurt barely had an intimate moment in this place. "You live with it. It's nice to have hot water, you know?"

"I bet," he responded. His eye traveled to her stomach. "You and Wagner, huh?"

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Please don't start this. I had enough with Pietro."

"Nah," Lance waved a hand. "I get it. I mean, who am I to judge?" He smirked at her. "Honestly, Kurt's a really good guy."

Wanda smiled, looking down to her stomach. "I know it."

"Lance!" They could hear Kitty calling from the stairs. Lance stood. "Anyway, I'll see you later then," he smiled at Wanda.

"Yeah, ok," Wanda waved him off as he left.

~&Q~

She pet her hands through his hair, as Kurt lay his cheek against her stomach, murmuring German to the baby. It had become her favorite position, just the two of them cuddled together. A position they couldn't be in often, and she knew that once the baby came they wouldn't be in anymore. But she cherished it while they had it.

Kurt paused, his expression growing confused, then he looked up to her with a smile. "Come," he stood and held his hand out. "Professor has a surprise for us."

She took his hand and he helped her up. Putting his arm around her, he teleported them to where the Professor was waiting for them. He looked up to them with a smile. "I've managed to figure out our housing issue," he indicated the follow him.

Kurt held onto her hand as they did, walking down a corridor off the kitchen. "I hadn't developed much of this part of the mansion yet, I suppose waiting for the school to grow further. Though, it seems this might be a perfect solution for a little family." He stopped them at the end of the small hallway. "Here," he gestured to a door. Wanda slid a look to Kurt, and then pushed it open.

She paused as she took in the little nursery. A crib on one wall, beside a large, picturesque window. A rocking chair in front of a book shelf, already boasting several books. She ran her hand over it. "This is lovely."

Xavier smiled. "I figure your child will need her own space, yes?" He wheeled to a door off that room. "Look here."

Kurt opened this door, leading into a rather well appointed bedroom. A queen sized bed with a tiny bassinet beside it. "For our mother," Xavier told them. Wanda noted the bed was not the usual twin that was found in all the dorms. Xavier must have picked up on that and continued. "I have a room across the hall for Kurt. Though," he gave them both a stern look. "I'm not naïve. I was a teenager once, you know. All I ask is that whatever you do, it's done _responsibly_." He looked between them. "I think we can agree on that."

The two teens nodded. "Alright," Xavier turned toward the door. "Then I'll leave you to get settled."


	10. Chapter 10

Kurt helped Wanda to move her stuff to the room, setting it up comfortably. She found herself able to do less and less, and getting tired far more easily than before. She'd collapsed onto the bed, just as Kurt finished putting away the last bits.

"Come here," she held her arm out to him.

"I need to move my things too, liebe," he told her.

"Just come rest for a minute," she asked him. He climbed into the bed beside her, and the snuggled into each other's embrace. "This is so nice."

Kurt nodded against her. "We're closer now."

Wanda smiled. "I want you to stay in here with me."

Kurt frowned, pulling away. "Professor Xavier gave me the room across the hall," he responded.

"I know," she said. "But did you hear what he said? He practically gave permission." With a smirk, her hand snaked under his shirt. "As long as we're responsible."

"Wanda," Kurt sighed as she began to kiss his neck. "I-"

Wanda pulled away from him, looking to him with a confused expression. "We haven't had sex _once_ since I got pregnant. We used to be together _all the time_! Come _on,"_ she went back to pulling his shirt off. "I _need_ you, Kurt."

He let her pull the shirt off, and the came together in a kiss, twisting slightly to make way for her large belly. He paused again as her hands moved to his belt. "I don't think I can."

"Why?!" Wanda glared at him. "Why not?"

Kurt sighed. "The baby, Wanda. Our daughter, she's _right there_." He put his hand on her stomach.

Wanda narrowed her eyes at him. "So, what am I? Just the baby carrier?" She sat up, crossing her arms. "I was irresistible before, now I'm just a damn incubator for _your_ daughter. That's it?"

"Nein!" Kurt sat up as well.

"Then what?" Wanda huffed. "How do you think this feels? I look at myself in the mirror and I barely recognize myself anymore. On top of it, the man I _love_ won't even touch me!" She wiped away a tear, roughly.

"Nein, Wanda," he moved so they were facing each other. "You are _beautiful_. So beautiful."

"Then why-" she was cut off by a small sob.

Kurt took a breath. "I am worried. About the baby-" he paused, as Wanda's expression grew angry. "I don't want to hurt her! What if something happens?"

"What could happen?" Wanda asked, exasperated. "We can be careful, Kurt. I read in my book, women _do_ have sex when they're pregnant. It's _normal_."

He still regarded her oddly. Wanda turned away from him. "Fine."

Kurt sighed. "I don't mean-"

"Don't you have to move your stuff?" she shot at him over her shoulder.

He left the room. Wanda curled up into the bed, pulling the blanket high. Such a large bed for her to be in it by herself.

~&Q~

She must have fallen asleep, being woken feeling a weight on the bed. Wanda turned as she felt the arms encircle her. Before she could speak, his lips pressed against hers, and Wanda simply kissed him back, pulling him close to her. As her hands traveled down his body, she became aware that he wasn't wearing _anything_.

He tugged at her clothing, pulling her skirt up and lifting her shirt over her large stomach and breasts. She moaned as he pressed his face into her cleavage, slowly moving his hand to unclasp her bra.

Kurt's tail wrapped around her thigh, the spaded tip moving up to caress her. She sighed into his mouth as it did, then pulled away for a moment. "I thought you didn't want to."

He lifted his head to look at her. "I love you, Wanda," his tail jerked, making her cry out. "You are the most beautiful, _sexiest_ woman in the world. Even eight months pregnant." He moved one hand slowly up, over her stomach, to her breast.

She wanted to ask what changed his mind suddenly, but he moved in for a kiss again. She let her questions fall to the back of her mind as he removed the last of her clothing and pulled her close.

~&Q~

The sex was awkward, but exactly what she needed. He was practically wrapped around her now, as they basked in the afterglow. She sighed contentedly into his hair. "What made you change your mind?"

He shrugged. "I read some stuff. And I saw how it made you feel," he shifted to look at her. "I don't _ever_ want to be the reason you feel that way, mein liebe. I was confused, about the pregnancy and the baby is all."

"I love you," Wanda kissed him. "I missed this."

"Me too," he agreed. His hand absently stroked over her stomach. They grew quiet, then Wanda shifted uncomfortably. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah," she winced. "Talia's just moving around. She's not always gentle."

Kurt smiled at the name. He spread his palm over Wanda's stomach. "You be good to your mama, liebchen." He leaned in and placed a kiss on it.

The baby shifted again, and a sizeable lump appeared on the side of Wanda's stomach and moved to the center, before disappearing. Kurt's eyes widened. "Vas? Is that her?"

Wanda nodded. "She doesn't do that often, though," she cuddled into him. "She's reaching out to her Daddy."

"Ich liebe dich, mien schatz," he placed another kiss to her stomach. "I'll be holding you soon enough."


	11. Chapter 11

Since moving, Kurt had spent almost every night in her room. They'd kept their promise to be responsible to the Professor, though it wasn't as if they needed to do much. Wanda couldn't exactly get _more_ pregnant.

Their little spot in the institute was removed from the others, and Wanda was noticing that it could go days before she'd even have to interact with anyone other than Kurt. She'd been feeling off of late, and spending more time in bed, which Kurt was happy to enable. He'd bring her food, drinks, anything she needed, and she was blissfully spending her third trimester by herself.

Kitty came by once in a while, and Wanda was fine with seeing her. She'd begun to enjoy the girl's company. Wanda had always dismissed her as vapid, but the girl had hidden depths that surprised Wanda. Kitty was also growing increasingly excited about the impending baby.

One morning, Kurt had left early for a small mission with the team. Wanda had to fend for herself, which she didn't mind, but she did miss being waited on by her boyfriend. After sleeping in, she pushed herself out of bed when her daughter and stomach both demanded being fed.

She padded quietly to the kitchen, stretching herself out with a yawn. Her stomach was enormous, in her eyes, and she placed a hand on it, supporting the weight. She had a quick fantasy about finally having her body back, and it made her smile. "Mommy's going to be so happy to be able to sleep on her stomach again," she murmured.

As she came to the kitchen, she stopped to see Rogue seated at the table, reading the back of a cereal box as she ate. The goth girl looked up to Wanda, then back to the box. "Hey."

"Hi," Wanda greeted. She found herself a bowl and took a seat beside her. Wanda was unsure of how to react around Rogue. At one time, Rogue seemed to be the one person in the institute she'd relate to most, but this was before she'd truly met Kurt. Since then, she'd not really spent any time getting to know her, which she now felt slightly guilty over. After all, she _was_ Kurt's sister, as distant as they were.

Rogue slid the box over to Wanda, and she poured herself a bowl. "I thought everyone was out on a mission," Wanda said.

"Nah," Rogue replied. "Only the people who need to be. My powers don't help on this one."

"Ahh," Wanda replied.

Rogue sat back in her seat. "Yeah, they left me and Evan behind. I think he was just happy to go to the skate park."

"What're you doing today?" Wanda asked her.

Rogue shrugged. "Dunno. Didn't really have a plan. What about you?"

Wanda looked down to her cereal. "Not much. I'll probably sleep. I've been pretty worn out lately."

"Yeah, I bet," Rogue leaned forward onto the table. "Kurt says that the baby's coming in two weeks."

Wanda nodded, leaning back and placing her hands on her stomach. "That's when she's due. The 23rd."

Rogue shook her head. "It's crazy to think y'all are having a baby."

"I guess," Wanda replied. "It was crazy for a while. Now, I just can't wait to get her out of me."

"Mmm hmm," Rogue nodded. She paused for a moment. "Ya know, Kurt's crazy about you. Like head over heels, buyin' the ring crazy."

Wanda smiled, looking down. She knew that he loved her, but hearing someone else say it made her feel validated.

"So what about you?" Rogue probed. "How do you feel about him?"

Wanda looked up to her. Her eyebrow lifted. "I love him."

Rogue's eyebrow lifted as well. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Wanda affirmed. "I love him with _everything_. More than anything." She smiled shyly. "I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about Kurt."

Rogue smiled as well. "I'da never put you two together. But it's cute," she said. Her eye went to Wanda's stomach. "So do ya got a name for her yet?"

"Talia," Wanda told her, stroking a hand on her belly.

"Talia Wagner," Rogue repeated. "Pretty."

The baby moved, causing another visible lump to appear and disappear. Rogue stared at it. "Wow, she moves a lot."

Wanda nodded, then looked to Rogue. "You want to feel?"

"Uhh," Rogue paused. "I don't wanna hurt you."

"It's ok," Wanda carefully took Rogue's gloved hand and placed it on her stomach. After a few moments, Talia was shifting again.

Rogue laughed. "Wow, that's her, huh?"

"Yep," Wanda smiled. "Say hi to Auntie Rogue, Talia."

Rogue looked to Wanda with a smile. "Auntie Rogue?"

Wanda nodded. "Of course."

~&Q~

Kurt didn't return until hours later. Wanda had spent the morning with Rogue, but then ended up taking a nap in early afternoon. She was in bed when Kurt came in.

"Hey," she looked to him from her book. "How was the mission?"

"Ok," he sighed, falling onto the bed. "Just tiring. They had me teleport five times in a row. I need a nap."

"Poor baby," Wanda commiserated. "Come lay down with me."

"In a minute," he stood up. "I need a shower first."

Wanda watched after him as he went across the hall to the bathroom. She turned back to her book, listening to the hiss of the shower. An interruption came when she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Wanda put her book down and her hand came to where she felt the pain. It couldn't be, not yet. It was too early.

She gave it a few minutes, and didn't feel anything else. The shower had stopped, and she turned back to her book. A moment later, the pain returned. "Ahh!"

A teleport later her boyfriend was by her side, in a towel. "Are you ok? What was that?"

"I felt a pain," Wanda told him.

"A pain? Like labor pain?" His eyes became panicked as he asked.

"I dunno," she glared at him. "I've never _felt_ labor pains before."

"We have to get you to Dr. McCoy," he grabbed her hand.

"Kurt, you're _naked_ ," she sighed at him.

"You're having a baby!"

Wanda took a breath. "Calm down! Get dressed, and we'll go to see Dr. McCoy, ok?"

Kurt took a deep breath as well. "Ok."


	12. Chapter 12

A check up with Dr. McCoy proved these not to be labor pains, but perfectly normal Braxton Hicks pains. Even though it didn't mean she was in labor, it indicated how _close_ labor was.

Kurt was on her now, all the time. She was practically bedridden, and he rarely left her side. She was becoming more and more irritable, with his constant attention and also the intermittent pain that would come from her stomach.

"I need you to leave me alone," she told him, finally, through gritted teeth.

"Vas do you mean?" he looked to her with concern. "You need-"

" _Don't_ tell me what I need," she told him firmly. "What I _need_ is you to leave me alone. I need at _least_ three hours by myself."

His expression was hurt. "I just want to help."

"I don't _need_ help, Kurt," she sighed. "I need you to back off me for a bit and let me _breathe_." She paused, noting how sad he looked. "I know you're looking out for me, and I love you for it. But, dammit, I am suffocating. Please, just let me have a few hours?"

He nodded and backed out the door. Wanda let out a breath she felt like she'd been holding forever. She knew he was hurt, but she'd deal with that later. For now, she'd enjoy a bit of time without him asking how she was every ten seconds.

She flicked through television channels, reveling in the silence. Less than twenty minutes into her peace, a noise at the door made her snap. "It hasn't even been an hour!" She turned to glare at her boyfriend, finding instead Kitty standing at the door.

"Whoa, sorry," the girl held up her hands. "I'll go."

Wanda shook her head, closing her eyes. "No, it's ok. I thought you were Kurt."

"Yeesh," Kitty replied. "You're mad at him or something?"

"Just tired," Wanda told her. "He's been _way_ too attentive lately. I told him I wanted a few hours to myself."

"Yeah, well, he's been freaking out," Kitty said. "He's so worried about you and the baby. He said he can't even sleep over it, ever since you started having those pains."

Wanda's brow furrowed. "He didn't tell me that."

"He doesn't want to worry you," Kitty said.

"Yeah," Wanda sighed. "It's getting to be stressful for both of us, I suppose."

"Well, don't stress!" Kitty sat on the bed beside her. "Pretty soon you're going to have a little bitty baby to hug and cuddle and when you get stressed with her, Aunt Kitty is here!"

Wanda smiled at her. "Thanks."

~&Q~

Kurt was gone most of the day, returning at bedtime. He was quiet as he undressed, and climbed in beside her. Wanda lowered the volume on the television and turned to him. "Did you have a good day?"

"Ok," he replied with a shrug. "Did you?"

Wanda nodded. "It was relaxing."

Kurt frowned, and burrowed under the blankets. Wanda incher herself closer to him, putting her arm over his chest and nuzzling into his shoulder. "Thank you so much for understanding earlier."

Hesitantly, Kurt put his arm around her. "I don't mean to be overbearing."

"I know," she replied. "But let's just let these last few weeks be as stress free as possible. Once our daughter shows up, I am sure we won't have many quiet moments."

"Probably not," Kurt agreed.

Wanda smiled, her hand moving to her stomach. "It's so crazy to think she's almost here. I'm starting to fantasize about what she looks like."

"What do you think she looks like?" Kurt asked her, his chin resting on the top of her head.

Wanda looked up. "I imagine she looks like you," she told him. "Little blue ball of fluff, with a cute little tail."

Kurt's face was passive. "Why do you think that?"

She shifted, so she could face him better. "Why not? We know she has a tail. I think it'd be cute."

Kurt shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe she'll look more like you."

Wanda shrugged as well. "We'll find out soon," she smiled at him. "I bet you were so cute when you were a baby."

Kurt looked away from her. "I was the same as I am now," he told her.

Wanda raised a brow at him. "What's going on with you? Are you upset at me?"

"Nein," he paused, closing his eyes. "I just am thinking. Like you said, about what our daughter will look like." He paused again. "I hope she _doesn't_ look like me."

"What? Why?"

Kurt shifted. "Do you know how it was to grow up like this?" he asked her. "I barely had a life outside my parents, and what little experience I did have was not positive." He frowned. "People pay attention to the way we look. Mutants are hated enough, but a freaky mutant? A mutant who doesn't look human? We're even more hated." He looked away from her. "I hate to think that I've passed this on to my child."

"Kurt," Wanda tried to catch his glance. "Kurt, look at me." He did, hesitantly. "You are _beautiful_. Our daughter would be _so lucky_ to take after you."

"She'd be lucky to take after you," he replied.

Wanda sighed. "Whatever she looks like, she's going to be perfect. And she has two parents who will teach her how perfect she is, _the way she is_. We can't change the outside world, but we can help her deal with it." She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "I am _honored_ to be having your child, Kurt. And if she comes out looking exactly like you, I would be happy."

He gave her an uncertain look, but didn't respond. Wanda held onto him, hoping that he could feel the love she had for him. He was quiet, uncomfortably so. She began to worry, but before she could say something, he spoke. "Do you-" he paused. "Uh, I mean." His voice was small, nervous.

Wanda sat up. "What is it?"

"Well," he looked to her. "Not _right now_ , because-" he stopped again. "But, in the future, maybe, when we're older, I mean-" He stopped again, wiping his hands over his face.

"Kurt," she quirked a brow, concerned.

"I just am wondering if-" he took a breath. "If you'd want to marry me one day. I mean, I don't have a ring and we're still young but-" he paused, closing his eyes.

Wanda smiled wide at him, and moved close to kiss him. As they parted, his eyes opened and she looked into them. "Of course I'll marry you."

Kurt smiled wide, and pulled her in for another kiss. "Mein liebe." He held her tightly.

Wanda cuddled into his embrace. Her love, the man she couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life with.

~&Q~

I am sooooo happy to see the reviews you guys are leaving! It always puts a smile on my face and I want to say THANK YOU! A few, I've noticed, have been looking at my other fics as well, and I am so thrilled every time I get a new notification of a review. So thanks to you readers, you guys are awesome!


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning, Wanda woke before Kurt. She laid in bed for a bit, before realizing she wouldn't get back to sleep and unsteadily stood. The baby was still, and Wanda stroked her stomach. "Let's go get some breakfast."

She took one step and was stopped by a searing pain in her abdomen. "Ahh," she gasped, her hands going to her stomach. Kurt must have heard, because he turned in bed.

"Are you ok?" he asked sleepily.

"Yeah," Wanda told him. "Another one of those pains. Go back to sleep."

Kurt nodded, closing his eyes. Wanda walked out to the kitchen. It was early, too early really for anyone to be up. She went about preparing a bowl of cereal, but was stopped by another pain. "Ow!" She gripped the table hard, and lowered herself to a chair. "Dammit." She felt nauseous, and the idea of eating was no longer appealing. Wanda stood, shakily, and headed back to the bedroom.

Her stomach felt completely unsettled. She went to sit, but found the position to be uncomfortable, so instead stood and paced the room a bit. "Ahhh!" she cried out again, as another pain hit. This was different, the Braxton Hicks were random. These seemed to be timed, as if-

Her eyes widened. Wanda moved to the bed, leaning over to her boyfriend. "Kurt," she called to him. "Kurt, wake up." He shifted, his eyes slitting open.

"Vas?" he yawned.

She clutched her stomach tightly. "I think I'm in labor."

He shot up, his eyes widening. " _Now_?!"

Wanda nodded, wincing as the pain returned.

"But-" he jumped out of bed. "She's not due for another week!"

"Well, she's not waiting," Wanda told him.

"Schiese!" he grabbed his clothing from the night before off the floor and dressed. "I have to get Dr. McCoy! I have-" he'd teleported before he'd finished the thought, his pants half on. Wanda leaned against the dresser, breathing steadily as the pain subsided.

A moment later, Kurt had returned with Dr. McCoy in tow. "How far apart are the contractions, Wanda?" he asked her.

"I dunno," she replied. "A couple minutes?"

"Alright," the blue mutant replied. "It's still early. Let's get you to the infirmary."

He helped her down, Kurt following in a complete panic. As she was getting settled in the infirmary cot, she felt a wetness seep onto her inner thighs. Her eyes widened and she looked to Dr. McCoy. "I think my water just broke."

"It's ok," he assured her. "It's normal. Let me take a look." She put her feet in the stirrups and he did a quick examination. "You're dilated, about three centimeters. We have a ways to go, but this baby is coming today."

Kurt moved to her side, grasping her hand, tight. "Isn't it too soon, though? She's due next week."

"Due dates aren't set in stone," he told the teens. "A baby can be born healthy several weeks before or after a due date."

Wanda winced as a contraction hit her. Kurt rubbed her head. "Mien liebe, it's ok," he took a deep breath.

Wanda let her breath out. It was going to be a long day.

~&Q~

A little after lunchtime, Dr. McCoy had left them, briefly. Wanda was on her side, clutching tightly to her stomach, rocking as a contraction hit. " _Fuck_ ," she sighed out. "This hurts _so_ much."

Kurt watched her, his brow knit with worry. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm so sorry."

" _Stop apologizing_ ," Wanda said through gritted teeth.

"Sorry," he answered.

She shot him a look and he shut his mouth. Wanda shifted again, to her other side. She'd never felt pain like this. In her life, the hardships she'd faced, this was by far the most pain she'd ever had to endure. And she hadn't even started pushing yet.

Another contraction hit, this one much stronger, making her cry out. "I want this over!" she cried. "I don't want to do this anymore!"

Kurt looked to the clock, then to her. "It'll be over soon," he told her.

"How do you know?!" she demanded. "It's been seven hours already! How do you know when it'll be over?!"

Kurt shrugged, looking away. "Sorry."

" _Stop!_ "

"Well," Dr. McCoy returned. "Let's see how we're doing."

" _I hate this_ ," Wanda told him.

"Birth isn't easy," he assured her, giving her a quick examination. "But you're just about there. In a little bit, you can start pushing."

" _Fuck!_ " Wanda huffed. "Can't I do it now?"

"Almost," Dr. McCoy replied. "It'll be over soon, Wanda, I promise."

~&Q~

" _Fuck your promises!_ " she cried at Dr. McCoy, now several hours after the last examination. "When is it time?!"

"It's coming," he told her. "Here, let's adjust." He helped her turn onto her back, placing her feet in the stirrups. "Alright, Wanda, on the next contraction, you can push."

Kurt moved in again, holding her hand as she bore down. The pain was unimaginable, and it felt like nothing was happening below her waist.

"Little breaths," Dr. McCoy coached. Wanda followed instruction, and when the next contraction came she pushed again.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh _fuck_!" she laid back on the cot hard, her hair sticking to her sweaty brow. Kurt lifted his hand to push her hair back.

"You're doing _so good_ , liebe!" he told her.

Wanda shook her head. "I can't do it. I can't do anymore."

"Ja, you can!" he kissed her brow.

"Alright, Wanda, push again!" Dr. McCoy told her.

She bore down hard, pushing with everything she had. Dr. McCoy smiled. "I see the head. We're almost there."

Kurt left her side to glance at the proceedings. " _Gott_." His eyes widened at what he took in below her waist.

"Push again, Wanda!" She did so, crying out loudly.

"Gott, Wanda," Kurt said. "I see her, her head is out."

"One more," Dr. McCoy told her. "One more and you'll have your baby."

Knowing it was her last made Wanda all the more determined. She gave this one her all, pushing until she literally had nothing left in her. She collapsed backward after she had, her ears ringing and her head aching, along with the rest of her. As her senses returned to her, she heard a new sound, an alien sound to her ears. Before she had time to react, the squalling, wriggling form of her daughter was placed on her chest.

Wanda couldn't help but cry. "Oh my _God!"_ Her hands moved up to touch the baby, slick in afterbirth. She cried loudly, her face squished and angry. "Oh my God," Wanda sobbed again. "My baby."

Dr. McCoy had brought over a small blanket, wrapping her up tight. Wanda held her close, the baby calming a bit as she was swaddled. "Talia," she stared at the tiny being. "You're my beautiful baby girl."

She was so caught up in the joy of this new infant, she almost completely forgot about Kurt. As she held the girl tight, she looked up to him with a teary smile. "It's our baby!"

His face was frozen, as he watched them both. Moving closer, he placed one hand on the swaddled being. "Gott," his face crumpled as he began to cry.

"Ohhh," Wanda reached a hand out to him. "No, Daddy. No crying."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close for a kiss. "I love you so much."

Wanda returned the kiss. "I love you too," she told him, then turned to their daughter. "And I love _you_."


	14. Chapter 14

Dr. McCoy had taken the baby after that to clean her, and also to finish up with Wanda. Finally cleaned and stitched up, Mother and baby were reunited. Kurt stayed at their side, and the new parents took this time to inspect the tiny babe.

"She looks just like you," Wanda mused, smiling at Kurt.

"Ja," Kurt smiled as he stroked the baby's soft cheek with his finger. "It looks better on her, though."

Wanda giggled. She kissed him gently. "Can you believe it? Here she is." She looked back to the bundle. "You were such a little acrobat in Mommy's tummy." She paused at that, her smile widening. "I'm a Mommy. I'm your Mommy, Talia." The label felt so _right._ She was a mother, and it made sense.

"What do you think of Josephine?" Kurt asked, out of the blue.

Wanda furrowed her brow. "I thought we agreed on Talia."

"Ja," he nodded, smiling as the baby yawned. "But for a middle name. Talia Josephine."

She smiled, looking back to the girl. "Talia Josephine Wagner," Wanda looked back to Kurt. "You haven't held her yet."

"I, uh," Kurt took a step back. "It's ok."

"No, I've been hogging her," Wanda shifted and held the baby out. "Take her."

Kurt just stared at the bundle nervously. "I don't know how."

"What do you mean?" Wanda asked, still holding the baby out. "Just put her in your arms."

Kurt took a tentative step forward, and awkwardly attempted to take the baby. After a few tries, the tiny girl was in her father's arms. "Gott, she's so tiny. So light."

Wanda nodded, smiling at the two of them.

"Hallo, mein liebling," Kurt spoke softly to her. "I'm your Daddy." Tears shone anew in his eyes. "Ich liebe dich mein madchen."

~&Q~

The rest of the evening and into the night, Wanda, Kurt and their new daughter spent in the infirmary, just the three of them. It was a sleepless night, though Kurt tried to give Wanda as much time to sleep as he could. She was adjusting to being able to feed their daughter, and after a few botched tries, she seemed to get the hang of nursing. Although it wasn't the most comfortable thing Wanda had ever done, she loved the closeness she felt to her daughter when she nursed.

The next morning, Dr. McCoy checked on the little family and decided they'd be more comfortable back in their own quarters. "This is where we live," Wanda told her daughter softly as they entered the room. "This is Mommy and Daddy's bed," she continued. "And you'll sleep there." She indicated the bassinet.

The baby simply slept, moving only minutely to adjust herself. Wanda smiled. "Are you comfy my little angel?"

"Do you want to get some rest?" Kurt asked her, sitting on the bed. "Maybe put her down in the bassinet for a while."

Wanda shook her head. "I wanna hold her." She sat on the bed, adjusting uncomfortably to a position that wasn't painful.

"Are you hungry?" Kurt asked her. Wanda looked to him and nodded. "I'll get some food, ok?"

"Ok," Wanda's eyes went right back to the baby. She was so peaceful, for the moment. Her face changed, making an odd expression, before she began to cry. "Oh, no, what's wrong my beautiful girl?"

The girl began to thrash in her arms, as Wanda rocked her gently. "You just ate," she thought for a moment. "Is it your diaper?" Wanda stood and brought the baby into the adjoining nursery, laying her down. As she unwrapped the swaddling, slowly, a tiny tail swayed out, immediately wrapping itself around her wrist. Wanda smiled brightly at her. "Little tail hug," she giggled. "Let Mommy change you." She disentangled the appendage from her and noted that the girl's diaper had come undone. "Well, you're wet," she furrowed her brow. "Why'd your diaper come off?"

She removed the soiled diaper, and placed a clean one under her. The tail whipped around, attempting again to wrap around Wanda's wrist. "One second, sweetie," Wanda sighed. The tail was in the way, as she tried to get the diaper fastened, it kept thrashing and undoing it. Talia began to sob, making Wanda nervous. "It's ok, my love, Mommy's got you." She felt panicky, unable to tend to something _so basic_ for her daughter.

Finally, she managed to get the diaper in place and moved the tail under her, swaddling her up tight again. Talia didn't cry, but her face was frozen in an irritated expression. "I'm sorry," Wanda looked to her sadly. "Mommy'll get better at it, I promise."

She went back into her bedroom with the girl, holding her to her shoulder. Talia's little face nuzzled into the nape of her neck, making Wanda smile again. She sat on the bed, carefully.

"I made you a sandwich," Kurt told her as he entered, holding it out on a plate. "Turkey, is that ok?"

Wanda nodded as he put the plate onto the bedside table. Kurt sat beside her, smiling at Talia's sleepy face. "Everyone knows now. They all want to meet her, but I told them maybe tomorrow," he reached out and stroked her cheek. "I have to call my parents and tell them they have a granddaughter."

Wanda's mind went to her own father. They hadn't seen Magneto in over a year, Pietro gave no indication at all he'd been in contact. She hadn't really thought about him until this moment. "What about my father?" she asked Kurt.

"Magneto?" his brow lifted. "What about him?"

"He should know," Wanda shifted the baby so she could look at her. "He should know that he's a grandpa now."

"Where is he?" Kurt asked her. "I thought he's been gone for a while."

"He has," Wanda frowned. "But still. Do you think the Professor could find him?"

"Maybe," he replied. "I'll ask him."

Wanda smiled. "Thanks."


	15. Chapter 15

"Oh my _God_ she is _so cute_!" Kitty squeed as Wanda held the baby out.

"She looks like a little Kurt," Rogue said with a smile.

"She takes after her Daddy, that's for sure," Wanda told them. She held her daughter close. They'd agreed to have visitors, though only a few at a time. Kitty _had_ to be the first, dragging Rogue along with her. Not that the other girl didn't want to meet her niece.

"Ohhhhh can I hold her? _Please_?!" Kitty practically begged. Wanda gave a nervous glance to Kurt.

"Ja," he told her. "But carefully."

Wanda passed the baby over reluctantly. "Support her head!" She instructed, biting her lip as the little thing was transferred to Kitty's waiting arms.

"Oh my gosh," Kitty looked down on the girl in wonder. "She's so so tiny. Hi little sweetheart." Kitty smiled as the girl opened her eyes. The two of them stared at each other, as Kurt sat beside Wanda, putting his arm around her. "She's amazing," Kitty finally said.

Kurt turned to look at Rogue. "Do you want to hold her?"

Rogue's eyes widened, taking a step back. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Talia began to whine in Kitty's arms. Wanda reached out to her. "It's time for her to eat." Kitty frowned as she passed the baby back to her mother. Wanda looked around the room nervously as the baby started to cry.

Kurt stood up. "We should give them some privacy," he ushered the girls out. Kitty looked back, sad to be leaving the baby.

Once they were gone, Wanda opened her shirt and guided the infant to her breast. "There you go, my baby," she sighed. She smiled as she gazed down on her.

~&Q~

They tried to find some kind of schedule with Talia over the next days. Visitors were in and out, and pretty soon the entire institute had met its newest inhabitant. It was exhausting having people over all the time, and though they appreciated the excitement everyone shared over the baby, Wanda longed for time for just the three of them.

By the time Talia was two weeks old, they seemed to find something that worked. Wanda wanted so much to continue breastfeeding, but on Talia's two week doctor visit, she was underweight and it was suggested they supplement with formula along with the breastfeeding. Wanda cried for _hours_ , that she couldn't provide enough for her daughter to be healthy.

However, this made it easier to split duties between the two parents, and Wanda appreciated that now she wasn't the only one who had to be on feeding duty for her. They alternated feedings, she'd breastfeed and Kurt would bottle feed. It turned out to be a godsend, and Wanda was grateful to have help.

It was amazing how quickly time suddenly seemed to be moving. By the time Talia hit her third week, Kurt had been called back to training sessions. It was only an hour or two a day, and she didn't mind having one on one time with her girl.

It was one of those afternoons, the X-Men were doing an extended training, leaving her alone. They'd taken the Blackbird to a remote location, not even on the school grounds. Talia had slept most of the morning, but by midafternoon was growing antsy. "Do you wanna go outside, my lovely?"

The girl had yet to be outdoors, in fact since birth she'd only ever left their little corner of the institute for check ups. Wanda smiled as she dressed the girl in what she hoped would be comfortable on an August day. She deposited the little one in a stroller, making sure the shade was large enough to protect her, and headed out to the back.

They walked along, Wanda enjoying the fresh air. She didn't realize how long it had been since _she_ had been outside. A squirrel ran ahead of them, and Wanda smiled. "That's a squirrel, Talia," She knelt down beside the stroller, speaking to the slumbering infant. "And those are the birdies," she pointed to a few flying above. "There are so many amazing things around, my love. You'll get to know them all."

She felt her hair stand on end, suddenly, and stood up. There was a small gust of wind, and she narrowed her eyes, turning around. She took a step closer to the stroller, trying to place herself between whatever was out there and her child. "Who's there?"

There was silence. She summoned a hex bolt, holding the energy in her hand, looking around. Her other hand came up to rest on the stroller.

"Wanda," she heard the voice behind her, turning quick, ready to attack. "Chill!"

Wanda glared at her brother. "What the hell are you doing here?" She held up her hand, the blue energy pulsing around it.

Pietro put his hands up. "I didn't come to fight. I wanna talk."

"As if we have anything to talk about," Wanda told him.

"We do," he took a step forward. "Please."

She paused, then lowered her hand, the blue glow dissipating. His eye traveled to the stroller. "Lance told me, about the baby. He showed me a picture Kitty sent him."

"Oh?" Wanda asked.

"Yeah," he started. "It made me sad, that I found out about my niece from someone else."

Wanda narrowed her eyes. "Your niece? Is that what she is? A few months ago you were saying something entirely different."

"Yeah, well," he sighed. "I was wrong. I was stupid. I never should have said those things." He looked to her. "I didn't know how to respond to any of it. We've never had the best relationship, Wanda, but you're still my sister. And when you left, I felt like maybe it was just meant to be. But then I felt so horrible when Lance told me." He paused. "I came to say I'm sorry. And-" he pulled his backpack from his back, digging into it, coming out with a pink, stuffed bear. "To meet my niece?"

Wanda was wary. But she could _feel_ where he was coming from. At times, they connected in ways that only twins could. She bit her lip, looking in at her tiny girl. With a breath, she reached in and pulled her out taking a tentative step toward him. "This is Talia Josephine."

Pietro smiled, moving close to get a glimpse at her. "Little TJ," he said. The girl's eyes opened, and trained immediately on him. He smiled wider. "Wow. My niece."

Wanda couldn't help but smile as well. He brought the bear up, holding it in the girl's line of view. "Uncle Pietro got this for you," he told her. She took a little breath, then closed her eyes. "Uh, maybe you'll appreciate it more when you're older."

"She's still in the eat, sleep, cry, poop stage," Wanda told him. "I like the bear, though. We'll put it in her crib."

Pietro nodded, then leaned in closer to the baby. He looked to his sister's face, then back at hers. "She looks _so_ much like you, Wanda."

Wanda's brow quirked. "What?"

"Yeah," he looked between them again. "Your nose. Definitely your lips. You don't see it?"

Wanda looked to her girl. "I see Kurt."

"Yeah, well, duh. She obviously looks like Wagner," he said. "But past the obvious stuff, she's so much you."

Wanda couldn't help but smile. Talia was _so clearly_ Kurt's child, she hadn't even tried to find herself in her. Though, it was silly to think her own daughter wouldn't take after her in some respect. As she inspected the child again, she saw what her brother pointed out. Removing the coloring and other 'Kurt' attributes, Talia looked incredibly like her.

"Can I, uh," Pietro inched closer. "Can I hold her?"

Wanda paused, before nodding and handing the baby over. Pietro held her delicately, smiling wide as he looked at her little face. "You lucky girl, getting me for an uncle."

Wanda rolled her eyes, then a thought came to mind. "You haven't heard from father lately, have you?"

Pietro drew the baby closer to him, looking to Wanda. "No, why?"

"I've been thinking, I want him to know about Talia," Wanda shrugged.

"Why the hell would you want that?" Pietro lifted a brow.

Wanda's brow furrowed. "He's her grandfather. He deserves to know about her, and she deserves to know him," she smiled gently as she rubbed a finger over the girl's cheek. "I think he'll absolutely love her."

Pietro scoffed. "Are you-" he paused, his expression changing, and he looked back to Talia. "There're things about our father you don't know, Wanda. Suffice to say, he doesn't _deserve_ anything. Least of which, he doesn't deserve her."

Wanda shook her head. "Why would you say that? Of course he does."

Pietro sighed. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it. "She has a mommy and daddy who love her. She has her uncle. She doesn't need anything else," he looked to Wanda. "Don't worry about our father. Focus on her."

She was confused by his attitude about their father. Before she could say anything, he changed the subject. "I want to come around more, to see her and you," he told her. "I wanna do all the things a good uncle does with his niece. Play with her and teach her fun things," his expression changed as he scrunched up his nose. Gently, he held her out for Wanda to take her. "And hand her back to her Mommy when she needs her diaper changed."

Wanda took the girl from him. "I'll talk to the Professor," she told him. Talia began to squirm uncomfortably and whine. "Let's go get you changed."

~&Q~

Merry Christmas! :)


	16. Chapter 16

Professor Xavier had no issue with Pietro coming by. He tended to choose to stop by when Kurt wasn't around, always calling ahead of time to find out. It bothered Wanda a bit, she really wanted Pietro and Kurt to get to know each other. Though, Kurt also showed no interest in meeting with her brother. It was entirely frustrating.

The summer was winding down. Everyone at the institute was gearing up to start school. A week before the first day, the Professor had asked Wanda and Kurt to come to his office for a meeting.

Wanda held Talia in her arms as they sat, the Professor watching them from his desk. He smiled warmly at the little girl. "She's already a month old. Amazing how fast time goes."

"5 weeks," Wanda corrected.

"Yes," the Professor replied. "Well, as you know, the school year starts in one. I've brought you here to discuss it. I expect you both to be returning to classes."

Wanda and Kurt looked to each other. Kurt turned to the Professor. "I am planning to return," he told him. "I graduate this year anyhow, it'll be good to complete it. But Wanda…" he trailed off.

"I'm not going," Wanda shook her head.

"Wanda," the Professor began. "I understand your hesitance. But your education is important, and I would not be doing you any favors by allowing you to miss out on it."

"No," Wanda told him firmly. "How am I supposed to go to school and leave my baby?"

"We discussed it, Professor," Kurt started. "I will return, and Wanda will stay home with Talia."

"I see you've made your own plans," Xavier sat back. "But I can't allow it. You _need_ an education, Wanda."

"No I don't," she shifted the baby against her. "I _need_ to be a mother to my child. My daughter _needs me_. That is all I'm concerned with."

The Professor lifted a brow at her. "Do you think about your future? What you will do with your life?"

She looked to the baby. "She is my future," she said to him. "Being her mother is exactly what I want to do with my life. I've never had any type of aspirations, until I became pregnant. Now, this is what I want." Wanda turned to look at Kurt, with a small smile. "Along with being his wife."

Kurt reached over and put his hand over hers. The Professor leaned forward onto the desk. "This is all well and good, but it does not meet my requirements," he sighed. He paused, looking between them, then continued. "I'll compromise. Kurt, you will return to classes in a week. Wanda, we'll look into night classes, when Talia is a little older."

Wanda and Kurt looked at each other. Before she could respond, he did. "Ok."

"Excellent," the Professor smiled at them.

~&Q~

"Why'd you agree to that?" Wanda asked Kurt as they left the office.

"Why not?" Kurt shrugged. "It's a good compromise."

"Yeah, but I don't _want_ to do night classes," she scowled. "Who is supposed to take care of Talia while I'm away at class?"

Kurt raised a brow. "Me? What, do you think I can't?"

Wanda rolled her eyes. "No." Talia's eyes opened and she began to squirm. Kurt plucked her from Wanda's arms.

"Wouldn't it be fun?" he smiled at the girl. "While Mommy takes classes, Daddy would take such good care of you. Wouldn't you like that, mien liebling?"

Wanda crossed her arms at him. "I _still_ don't want to."

"Well, we have a few months," Kurt shrugged. "We'll see how it goes?"

~&Q~

It was lonely once school officially started. There was _no one_ around the mansion at all. Even the adults found themselves busier during the school year. On top of that, once everyone returned from school, there was homework, keeping them busy there. Being his senior year, Kurt was more overburdened with work than anticipated. Wanda found herself with few breaks from the baby, as Kurt had less time to spend with her.

Wanda never minded being with Talia, but going from having a fully dedicated partner to someone who spent the entire day away and was barely there for bedtime was wearing on her fast. They still tried to split duties as much as possible, but it seemed to be falling on her more and more. Once or twice he had not come home right after school, staying til late, without telling her. It annoyed her, but she let it slide.

She didn't bring it up to Kurt, knowing how stressed he was with school. But it was starting to get to her. One evening, it all came to a head.

The cries woke her, Wanda rolling over to glance at the clock. 3:30am. She sighed, closing her eyes. It was Kurt's turn.

Talia continued to cry, and Wanda felt no movement from her boyfriend. "Kurt," she sighed. "Get up."

He was still. Wanda pushed against him. "It's _your turn_." There was a small groan out of him, but still he didn't move. "Don't even pretend you don't hear her. _Get up_."

"I have class," he said, not even opening his eyes.

Wanda stared at him a moment, before shoving at him hard, pushing him right out of the bed. He hit the floor with a loud thump. "Ow! What the hell?!"

She stood and picked up the wailing baby. " _Class_?!" She turned away from him, and headed into the nursery. Taking a seat, she got Talia settled and feeding.

Kurt followed her in. "What was that?" he glared at her.

"Go back to sleep, you have _class_ in the morning," she glared back.

"Wanda!" he threw his hands up. "I need to be rested for class. I want to be able to finish school, and I won't if I fail out of everything."

"Oh, I _know_ how important school is," she looked away from him. "So important that you can't find a god damned minute in your day to dedicate to us."

"That's not true," he furrowed his brow. "You know that's not true."

"Am I the _only_ one in this relationship who is sacrificing anything?" she turned to him. "Do you have _any_ idea how exhausting it is to be alone with the baby _all day_?! And as soon as you come home it's homework and training and then you collapse in our bed without a thought. Just expect that I'll take care of Talia and now you won't even wake up when it's _your turn!_ We _agreed_ to taking turns!" Wanda paused, looking away again. "I can't do it all myself, Kurt. I can't. I love her, and I love being a mother, but I _need help_."

Kurt sighed and sat in a chair across from her. "I'm sorry. Liebe, I didn't realize," he paused. "I don't know how to do both. I know how to be a student, and I know how to be a father, but I don't know how to be both at the same time." He reached out a hand and put it on her arm.

She looked to him sadly. "You need to figure it out," she told him. "Please."

"There is no one more important in this world to me than you and Talia," he told her. "I will, I promise. I will do better." He paused. "I think, maybe, you should consider those night classes."

She snapped to him at his change of subject. "Why would I do that?"

"It'll be good for you," he shrugged. "Like the Professor said, you need your education. And maybe having time away from the baby will be good."

Wanda rolled her eyes, swapping the baby to her other breast. "'Like the Professor said', I swear, sometimes you all sound like a cult."

Kurt narrowed his eyes at her. "He's _right_ , Wanda," he started.

"No he's not," she looked to her daughter. "All I need to know is how to take care of my baby. That's all I care about."

"Don't you think this'll help you?" He asked her. "Plus having time away?"

Wanda snapped her eyes to him. " _I do not want to be away from her_ ," she said firmly. "Ever. I don't even know how you do it."

Kurt sighed. Talia had finished feeding and squirmed uncomfortably in her mother's arms. Wanda stood and held her out to him. "She needs to be changed."

Kurt took the baby into his arms. "Alright," he sighed again, and brushed a kiss on the infant's head.


	17. Chapter 17

Kurt was making more of an effort to find a balance between home and school. It allowed Wanda to relax, and the rift in their relationship healed itself. They were becoming closer than ever, loving being together as a couple and as a family, and Kurt began to hint about future marriage plans. They had nothing concrete yet, as they were both under 18 still and didn't want to rush into things. Yet, Wanda found herself daydreaming at times about the life they would build for themselves, and perhaps even having more children together.

Though, it was _far_ too soon to even consider any of that. Talia had been an accident, albeit a happy one. She certainly did not want to fall victim to the same fate twice. If ever they had more children, it would be when they were ready.

One afternoon, Kurt still at school, Wanda had brought her daughter to Dr. McCoy for her two month checkup, as well as her own.

"She seems to be doing well," Hank smiled at the baby. Talia held tightly to one of his large fingers, bringing it to her mouth to chew on. "She appears to be meeting her developmental milestones. She's been eating well?"

Wanda nodded. "She's like a little monster when we feed her. It's like she can't get enough sometimes."

"Well, she's growing," Hank told her. "She's gained quite a bit this past month. But it's all good." He turned to Wanda. "And how are you feeling?"

"Ok," she told him, playing with the paper gown she wore. "No more pain."

"Good," he indicated she should lay on the examining table. Wanda did, getting into position for him. "Everything looks like it healed well," he moved around the table to catch her eye. "You're well enough in case you would want to engage in-" he cleared his throat. "Certain activities."

Wanda sat up. She hadn't gotten into any place yet to be ready for sex again, though Kurt had expressed his interest once or twice. She chewed her lip as her eye fell on her baby girl, sucking sweetly on her fist. "How do I get on, like," she stammered. "Uh, what if I wanted to get the pill?"

"Birth control?" Dr. McCoy raised a brow. "I'm sure I can work that out for you. If that's what you'd like."

Wanda nodded. "I would," she looked to her daughter again. "I don't want to run into trouble again."

Dr. McCoy smiled. "Well, it's certainly a smart idea, Miss Maximoff. Though I'm sure you realize abstinence is _the_ most effective form of-" he paused as Wanda's expression became angry. "Well, let me see what I can do for you."

~&Q~

"Who's that beautiful girl?" Wanda leaned over her child, Talia flat on her stomach, barely holding her head up over a mirror. "Who's that?"

The girl's head swayed a bit, her tail wrapped tightly around Wanda's forearm. She clutched to the tummy time blanket. Wanda moved her head back slightly, so the girl could only see herself in the mirror. Talia's head jerked to one side, then the other, before she placed it against the mirror with a loud sob.

"Ohhhh, noooo!" Wanda lifted her up into her arms. "Look, angel! Mommy's right here!"

Talia looked to her with the most pitiful face, her lip out, the biggest, blobbiest tears hanging on her cheeks. She began to cry again, Wanda pulling her in close. "Did Mommy scare you? I'm so sorry my love."

She heard the door open in her bedroom, craning her neck from where she sat in the nursery. Kurt dropped his bag on the bed before turning to them. "Is she ok?"

"Yeah," Wanda stood up, holding the calming girl to her chest. "We were having tummy time and she couldn't see me. I think she got scared."

"Mien schatz," he stepped over and rubbed his hand on her head, before giving her a little kiss.

"How was today?" Wanda asked him.

"Ok," he responded. "The Brotherhood has been showing up at school more. I saw your brother."

"Oh yeah?" she replied. "How was he?"

"He was alright," Kurt shrugged. "He told me to tell you he was gonna stop by this weekend. He said to text him."

"Oh!" Wanda smiled. "Let's make a plan to do something with him."

Kurt nodded. "You can. I'm sure I'll have homework or training or something."

"No," Wanda shook her head. "I mean let's _all of us_ make a plan. I want you to come with us."

"Wanda," Kurt sighed. "Why?"

"Because I want you and Pietro to get to know each other," she replied. Talia snuffled against her, closing her eyes, and Wanda rubbed her back. "If we're really going to spend the _rest_ of our lives together, how long do you think you can avoid my brother?" He seemed to think about it, and Wanda looked down to their daughter. "You should see how he is with her. He's a great uncle."

Kurt looked to her. "Alright. We'll plan for this weekend."

Wanda smiled, then pulled him to her for a kiss. "Thank you."

~&Q~

Thank you all for all the reviews! I like to keep things closer to normal, as I find challenges to be more compelling than 'everything works out ok!'


	18. Chapter 18

Pietro took as much convincing as Kurt did. Wanda had no idea why they were so against each other, they barely _knew_ each other. Finally, her brother agreed to meet them at the institute for a few hours.

The weather was cooling, as they moved into October. It was hard for Wanda to believe that soon Talia would be _three_ months old. Unbelievable that three months had almost passed since this girl had entered her life. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

The day for Pietro's visit came, and Wanda bundled her girl up, worried about the chill in the air. "Are you so excited to see Uncle Pietro my girl?" she asked her, giving her a little tickle.

The girl kicked her feet, her fist in her mouth. Wanda smiled, looking to Kurt. "She _loves_ her uncle."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "She's a baby."

"So?" Wanda looked to him. "She can love. She loves me and you, right?"

"Ja," Kurt moved up to them, taking the girl into his arms. "She's got good taste that way. But I guess no one's perfect."

"Will you _stop_ ," Wanda sighed. "Give my brother a chance, ok?"

Kurt cuddled his baby girl close. "I will, I promise."

Wanda grabbed the baby bag and they headed out the door, to meet Pietro by the lake. He was already there, standing, throwing rocks in, and turned when the little family arrived. His eye went right to the baby in Kurt's arms. "Heyyyy my little pixie!" he smiled wide at her.

Talia, for her part, pulled her finger from her mouth and smiled as well at her uncle. "Ohh, when did she start doing that?" Pietro turned to his sister.

"A couple days ago," Wanda replied. "She's got a _beautiful_ smile, huh?"

"Like her mother," Kurt said, looking to Wanda. She poked him with her elbow.

Pietro looked to Kurt as well. "Uh, hey Wagner."

Kurt's eyebrow went up. "Hi Pietro."

Wanda took the girl from Kurt's arms. "Here," she held her out, and Pietro took her.

"Ahhh," Pietro pulled her to him. "My favorite girl. You've gotten big since I last saw you."

"She's growing like crazy," Wanda told him, moving to take a seat on the bench. "She doesn't fit into any of her newborn clothes anymore."

"Well, she's no newborn anymore," he said. "Pretty soon she won't be a baby anymore either."

"Let's not rush it," Wanda told him. She looked to Kurt, who just stood there silently. She gave him a look, and he moved to her, sitting down. She put her arm around him.

~&Q~

Pietro stayed for a while, playing with the baby, before he had to get going. He and Kurt barely said two words to each other, but they were at least cordial. Wanda realized this was a work in progress.

Halloween was coming up, the first real holiday they'd be celebrating with their new daughter. Wanda loved Halloween, the fun and dressing up, and she was so excited to put together a costume for the baby.

Talia had taken recently to sleeping through the night, a godsend for her exhausted parents. It was recent, and the first time Wanda woke at 5am without Talia's cries, she rushed to the bassinet to make sure the baby was ok. She was, soundly sleeping, and now it had been a week since she'd been doing that.

It allowed everyone to get more sleep, though Wanda still woke early, used to the schedule Talia had been on. This was one of those mornings, the only one awake, Wanda watching her boyfriend sleep. She didn't get much time to reflect anymore, the baby being so demanding, but right now, as she watched him breathing evenly in slumber, she thought about how lucky she was. Kurt was absolutely _gorgeous_ , though few, she knew, would give him a second glance because of his mutation. A small smile crept over her face, as she crawled over to him. She kissed his neck, up to his cheek. He stirred, his eyes slitting open.

"Wanda?"

"Morning," she let her hand wander over him, moving to his stomach and inching lower.

He smiled at her. "How're you feeling this morning?"

She leaned in close. "You know how I'm feeling." She captured his lips in hers, straddling him. She pulled her shirt over her head, then leaned down again, pressing her chest against his.

Kurt's hands came to her waist. "It's been a while," he said between kisses.

"Too long," Wanda agreed. There was a small noise from the bassinet, and she paused, looking over to see Talia still asleep, but fidgeting. She sighed and looked down at him. "Let's be quick."

~&Q~

They were quick, though part of that was due to how long it had been since the last time they'd had sex. Thankfully, Talia had slept through it, though Wanda worried about the effect it could have had on her if she'd woken. Likely, it wouldn't have made any difference. It's not like a three month old could be traumatized by seeing her parents having sex.

As quick as it was, it was immensely satisfying. Wanda lay in Kurt's arms now, playing with the short fur on his chest. "That was nice."

"Ja," he kissed her head. "We should do it more often."

"If she'll keep sleeping like this, we can," Wanda told him.

"Maybe we should think about moving her into her room?" Kurt suggested.

Wanda shifted uncomfortably against him. "Not yet. She's still _so_ young. I don't want to be that far away from her yet."

Kurt shrugged. "Ok." They were silent, enjoying each other's company. Wanda's brow furrowed as a thought came to her mind. "What's the date?"

"Uhhh," Kurt checked his phone. "October 22nd. Why?"

Wanda sat up, looking down at him. "It's a year. Do you remember?"

He lifted a brow at her, his hands going to rest behind his head. "A year for what?"

"That morning," she leaned her hands on his chest, resting her chin there. "When we conceived Talia? It was a year ago today."

"It was?" his other brow went up. "We used a condom this time, though, ja? So we don't have to worry."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Yes. Plus I'm on the pill. We have _nothing_ to worry about," she looked to the bassinet. "I'm just saying, remember where we were a year ago? It's crazy how much things change."

He nodded, his hands now moving to skirt up her sides. "And two years ago, we did not even know each other."

"What was the date of our first date?" She laid her head down against him, listening to his heart beat.

"Which one was our first date?" he asked her.

"You know," she sighed. "The night we watched the meteor shower? Our first kiss?" She turned her head to look at him.

A smile spread across his lips. "Ja. That was in June, I think?" He thought a moment. "June 2nd. I remember, it was right before finals week."

"June 2nd," she smiled. "I was _so nervous_. I liked you so much, but I was afraid you didn't like me."

He furrowed his brow at her. "How could I not? You are the most amazing woman. _I_ was scared. I liked you and I wanted to be with you, but you were so perfect and beautiful. When you leaned against me, I was shocked. Part of me didn't even want to ask to kiss you, but it took all my courage." He pulled both arms around her, squeezing him to her. "Look at us now."

She nodded, holding him tight as well. "Look at us. All three of us," she glanced over at the bassinet, their daughter awake but content. "When we get married, I want it to be June 2nd."

Kurt smiled. "Ja," he agreed.


	19. Chapter 19

They had a great morning, cuddling in bed with their little girl. Kurt had a training session at noon, so he headed off, leaving Wanda and Talia alone. She took the girl out to the common room, bringing her play mat and a few toys. They were constantly in the nursery or Wanda's room, it was nice to have a change of scenery.

Wanda set the girl on her back, unraveling her little tail from her arm. The appendage waved a bit, before wrapping around Talia's own ankle. Wanda smiled at her. The girl began to turn her head, whining, and Wanda pulled her pacifier out of the bag, popping it into her mouth. "All good, my lovely?" Wanda asked her. The girl put her hand on the pacifier, sucking it in.

She sat beside her, opening her laptop. She wanted to find the _perfect_ Halloween costume for her, something unbelievably cute. She scoured the internet, noting a couple she liked.

"Hiii!" She looked up to see Kitty enter. "Hello little sweetie pie!" She knelt beside Talia, who gave the girl a big smile. "Aren't you the cutest thing in the WHOLE world?" She gave Talia a little tickle, and the girl kicked her feet excitedly. "We don't see you guys out much."

"Yeah," Wanda agreed. "Figured it'd be nice for today. Daddy's in the danger room, so Mommy and Talia are gonna have a relaxing afternoon, huh angel?" She reached a finger over, Talia grabbing it with her chubby hand. Wanda looked back to the computer. "I'm trying to find a Halloween costume for her now. I figure if I order it today, I can have it in time to adjust it for her."

"Ohhh I love that idea!" Kitty smiled wide. "Do you have one in mind yet?"

"I kinda like this one," Wanda turned the screen, pointing at a round, pumpkin outfit. "Look at the hat! It's the top of the pumpkin. How cute is that?"

Kitty shrugged. "Why not go with something that, like, fits her more?"

Wanda's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I dunno," Kitty shrugged, then smiled again. "What about like, a smurf? Wouldn't that be cute?"

Wanda stared at her. "I'm not dressing her up as a smurf."

"Why not?! You can probably make it!" she looked to Talia. "Little Smurfette or something. How cute is that?!"

Wanda shook her head. "Absolutely not."

"It'd be _so_ cute, though," Kitty continued. "You could even take her out trick or treating and no one would even think twice."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Wanda glared at the girl. "Would you even consider dressing her as a smurf if her skin wasn't blue?"

Kitty's smile melted. "Well, no, but-"

"I should dress her in the most obvious thing, then parade her around, _on Halloween_ , right, because then no one would even question a blue baby! Just a funny costume, haha, so fucking funny. Everyone can laugh at her, except the next day she's still different, and they'll hate her for it," Wanda's anger grew with every statement.

"Wanda, I really didn't mean it like-"

"Of course you didn't!" She threw her hands up. "Of course you didn't _mean_ it like that, but you're so blind to your own internal prejudice that you just _say_ these things with the _best_ of intentions, not even considering how they sound or how they'll be taken!"

Kitty's eyes went wide. "I am _not_ prejudice!"

"Would you tell Kurt to dress like a smurf?" Wanda asked her. Kitty was silent for a bit. "Probably not, right?"

"Alright, Wanda," Kitty sighed. "I'm sorry."

Her mind went to something Kurt had said, a long time ago, when they'd first started talking. He mentioned that he sometimes felt like the 'mascot' of the team. She wasn't sure exactly what he'd meant then, but she felt like she understood now. They'd never understand what it was like to be him. Even _she_ didn't, but having her daughter made her far more sensitive to these issues. Kitty had moved back from them, and Wanda put her computer aside, pulling her child into her arms. Her beautiful, unique, special little girl.

"She's going to be a fucking pumpkin," Wanda said, not even looking at Kitty. "You'll be a perfect little pumpkin, too."

~&Q~

She ordered the costume to be delivered overnight. Kitty had left them, and clearly said something to Kurt, because when he came to their room later it was the first thing he brought up.

"Did you say she was racist?" he asked her.

Wanda rolled her eyes as she changed Talia for bed. "No. I didn't say anything even close to that."

"What did you say?" he crossed his arms. "She was _freaking_ out, Wanda. Said you called her a racist and yelled at her."

"She is _such_ a drama queen," Wanda sighed. She turned to her boyfriend. "She wanted me to dress Talia up as a _smurf_ for Halloween. A fucking _smurf_ Kurt. Her whole idea was to fucking _exploit_ our daughter's mutation for the laughs of a bunch of assholes on Halloween."

Kurt's brow furrowed. "I'm sure she didn't mean it like that, Wanda."

" _Why are you defending her_?" Wanda argued. "Who cares how she meant it? She said it." Wanda took a long, shuddering breath, trying to stay in control of her emotions.

"Wanda," Kurt took a step forward, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You don't need to get so upset."

"I don't?" she snapped Talia's onesie on, the girl's tail wrapped on her wrist. "I don't want to raise our daughter around people who are always going to think of her as _other_. I don't want her to be around people who think the only time she can go out and be herself is Halloween. I _know_ they're your friends, Kurt, and I know you love them, but I am _not_ going to let _my daughter_ -" she was cut off by a sob.

Kurt's arms wrapped around her from behind. Tears tracked down her cheeks as another sob escaped. "I love her, _so much_. I am _so scared_ sometimes, Kurt. I'm so scared that she'll be mistreated, even by people who are supposed to love her."

"Wanda," he whispered in her ear. "She is loved."

"I know she is," Wanda replied, wiping her eyes with one hand. "But it still doesn't make me worry less."

She looked down at her girl as she continued to cry, and the baby's face melted. Her mouth opened, the pacifier falling out as she began to cry as well. Wanda pulled her up into her arms. "I am so sorry, baby," she told her as she held her. "Mommy didn't mean to upset you."

Kurt wrapped his arms around them both. "You are such an amazing mother, mien liebe." His hand went to Talia's now calming face. "We are lucky to have your Mommy, ja schatz?"


	20. Chapter 20

Wanda didn't leave their rooms for the next few days, except to eat. Kitty didn't come by at all, which she was fine with. She was not prepared to see the girl.

The costume arrived, and Wanda immediately tried it on Talia. She smiled wide at her girl as Talia squirmed in it. The girl's face was irritated, clearly uncomfortable. "I know, sweetie," Wanda began removing it. "Once Mommy makes room for your tail, it'll be much better. You're such a cute pumpkin!"

She pulled off the costume, leaving the girl in her diaper. Talia whined, her face melting into a cry. "Oh, I bet you're hungry, huh?" She took the girl into her arms, sitting in the rocking chair, and lifting her shirt to get her settled. Talia's cries stopped as she nursed, and Wanda closed her eyes, sitting back in the chair, rocking gently. She loved this bonding time, and her hand slowly moved over the back of the baby. After a few moments of her hand petting up and down her back, Wanda noticed something odd.

She opened her eyes, looking down. The tail that normally found its way around her arm or wrist was missing. Wanda's brow furrowed. The girl was only wearing a diaper, where could it be? "Did Mommy get it caught in your diaper?" she asked herself, peeking in. There was _no sign_ of the appendage.

"Talia," she pulled the girl off her, holding her out to inspect. The girl immediately began crying, angry to be cut off from her food. Wanda grew anxious as she laid the girl out, pulling her diaper off and inspecting her thoroughly. "What the hell?"

Talia was thrashing, her face angry and her hands balled into little fists. Wanda sighed, putting the diaper back on, and pulling the girl back to her to feed. She couldn't let her go hungry, and when she was done, they'd go check with Dr. McCoy. She frowned, patting her girl's back again. What could have done that? Did they hurt her somehow?

As Wanda finished feeding her, Talia began to doze off. She put the girl into her bassinet for the moment, thinking over what could have happened. As she did, her boyfriend came through the door, his school bag dropping to the floor. "Hey," he smiled at her, then peeked into the bassinet.

"Hey," she looked to him. "Kurt, something happened today."

He frowned at her. "What happened?"

"Talia's tail," she started. "It's _gone_."

He stared at her. "What are you talking about?"

"It's gone!" she shook her head. "I have no idea how, but it's not there!"

Kurt went to the bassinet, reaching in to gently lift the baby out. He held her close to him, looking her over. With a breath, he turned to Wanda, giving her a look. "It's right here," he showed his arm, where the tiny thing was wrapped.

Wanda's mouth opened, then shut. "No, it was gone! I looked _everywhere_."

"Did you check her back?" he smirked at her.

Wanda's eyes narrowed. "Don't make fun of me. It was _gone_. I swear. I was freaking out."

Kurt shrugged. "Well, it's here now."

"That doesn't make any sense," she sighed, sitting on the bed.

"Maybe you need a break," Kurt offered. "Take a nap. I'll look after her for a bit."

"I'm _not_ crazy, Kurt," she told him. "I am not making this up."

"I didn't say you were," he replied. "But taking a break is probably not a bad idea, ja?"

She took a breath, and looked toward the bed. "Maybe."

"Ok," Kurt smiled. He looked to the baby. "We'll go have fun, ja mien leibling?" He kissed the little girl's head and took her into the nursery.

Wanda laid on the bed, listening to them playing in the next room. Was it possible that she'd missed it? It didn't seem so, she'd stripped the girl naked and still the tail was gone.

She closed her eyes, but the giggle of her daughter made her open them. She didn't want to sleep. She sat up and moved to the door, to watch her boyfriend and daughter together. Kurt had her laid on a play mat, and he sat above her, waving a plush, stuffed clownfish, making it swim around her. Talia smiled and reached out to it, trying to grasp at it every time he brought it close to her. Wanda smiled. She couldn't think of a more perfect moment than this one, right here.

~&Q~

Halloween was so much more fun with a baby. Wanda never did much for the holiday, but had always enjoyed it. This year, though, having her little pumpkin was so wonderful. Part of her wished she had thought in advance enough to plan a family costume, but Talia was so god damned adorable in her pumpkin outfit, she barely cared. "You are _so cute!_ " she picked the girl up. She'd even found an orange pacifier.

The one thing that detracted was how much her skin clashed with the orange of the pumpkin outfit. Though it didn't change the level of adorable. "Wait til Daddy gets home from school," she told her. "He's going to love it!"

The rest of the institute was finding their own ways to celebrate Halloween. There was a big party going on at the school, which most of them would be attending in costume. Wanda was content to spend the evening at home, with her love and pumpkin.

Talia had fallen asleep, while Wanda clicked picture after picture of her in her outfit. She now had gigabytes full of pictures of the girl, from the day she was born until now. A part of her planned to print them, and arrange them in a book, but she knew she was lucky that she'd even started to organize them on her computer.

"Ok, pumpkin," Wanda said after the last few pictures. "Nap time. It's tough being cute, huh?"

"Ohhhh," she heard her boyfriend behind her. "Mein pumpkin! Look at that." She turned to see him smiling at their daughter. "Hey," he kissed her. "Happy Halloween!"

She kissed him back, then raised a brow at the bags he had in his hands. "What's all this?"

He held them up. "Costumes, for me and you," he told her.

Wanda smiled at him. "I like your enthusiasm, but I don't know if we really _need_ to dress up," she started.

"Nein," he shook his head. "We must. Our daughter's first Halloween, we have to celebrate." He went into their room, dropping the bags on the bed. "Besides, we'll need them for the party tonight."

"What party?" Wanda followed him.

"At the school," he went through the bags, laying out costume pieces. "I'll be Captain Wagner, you'll be my pirate wench." He smirked at her.

"Whoa, Kurt," she put her hand on his arm. "We're not going anywhere. Did you forget, we have a fourteen week old baby in there?"

"Nein, of course not," he told her. "Ms. Ororo offered to watch her."

Wanda shook her head. "I can't go out."

"Of course you can, Wanda," he pulled a pirate wench dress from the bag. "And you'll look so good in this."

" _NO_ ," she countered. "There is no way I am going out tonight. Are you crazy?" She crossed her arms. "Leave our daughter with some person all night long?! How can you even ask me that?"

"It's not some person. It's Ms. Ororo," he stood up, turning to her. "I think it'll be good. We can have a night, just us, where we're not parents."

"We _are_ parents, though," she countered. "I don't want to not be parents."

"Nein," he sighed. "Not like that. I mean we can enjoy the night."

Wanda frowned, then wiped her hands over her eyes. "I'm not ready."

He raised a brow at her. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not ready to leave her," Wanda told him. "I can't do it."

"It's only for a few hours," he told her.

"I know! But I can't," Wanda looked back to where the little one slept. "She's still so young and so many things could happen. I would _hate_ myself if I were out having fun and something bad happened to her."

"Liebchen," he moved to her. "Nothing bad will happen. Our daughter is happy and healthy, mostly because of what an amazing mother you are. But taking a break for a few hours is not the end of the world."

She bit her lip, looking again to the baby. "I can't."

He sighed. "Can we compromise?" he asked. "What if we go for one hour? We get dressed up, leave Talia with Ms. Ororo. We can even put her to bed first, and go out a bit later." His eyes were pleading. "Please, Wanda?"

She paused, looking at him. She could see how much he wanted it, and felt bad denying him. He'd rarely denied her anything she asked for. But at the same time, the thought of leaving her daughter made her chest tighten. Wanda let out a breath. "Alright. One hour."

Kurt's face lit up and he threw his arms around her. "We will have so much fun, liebe!" he exclaimed.

~&Q~

I have no idea what happened to this chapter. I apologize :(.


	21. Chapter 21

The rest of the institute had left for the party already. Wanda was in the process of putting their girl down for the night, having taken off the cutesy pumpkin costume and put her in pair of pajamas with little bats and black cats over them. She'd just finished nursing her, and now laid her down. "Good night, my beautiful girl. Mommy and Daddy will be back soon."

The girl looked up at her, with a small yawn, and Wanda gave her her pacifier. Her little hand balled into a fist and came beside her cheek as she sucked on it, her eyes closing slowly.

Kurt stood at the door with Storm. Wanda looked to her. "Please please call if anything happens," she told her.

"Of course Wanda," the woman smiled. "You two go have fun."

She frowned, and took Kurt's hand as he teleported them away. They emerged just outside the school. Wanda looked up to it for the first time in months. She'd barely been toward the end of her pregnancy. He squeezed her hand, and she looked to her boyfriend. "Don't be nervous," he said to her.

"I'm not," she lied. She barely knew what to expect. She really didn't _know_ anyone here, no one who was more than an acquaintance.

"You look beautiful," he told her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. Reaching down, he clicked on his image inducer. "Come on."

She followed him into the school, to the gymnasium where the party was underway. There were a few stares as they entered, and Wanda was sure they were directed at her. She'd done her best to keep her pregnancy secret last year, but was sure it had become the talk of the gossip ring. She heard little things as the passed groups.

"Oh my God, remember her? Wasn't she-"

"She's with that weird German kid? OMG do you think he's-"

She tried to block it out, instead focusing on how happy Kurt was for them to be out. He'd spied where the other X-Men had parked themselves, and headed over.

"Hey Kurt!" Evan called to them. "We saved you guys some seats."

Wanda smiled at everyone, but when she looked to Kitty, the girl looked away. Kurt got into a conversation with Evan, and Wanda took a seat, pulling out her phone. She stared at the screen a few moments.

"Nervous?" she looked over to see Rogue taking a seat beside her.

Wanda shrugged. "Just hoping everything is ok at home."

"It is, don't worry," Rogue smiled at her. "It's good you came out. When was the last time you were out without Talia?"

Wanda shook her head. "Not since she's been born," she told her. She glanced to her phone, her daughter's face set as her background. "Did you see her in her Halloween costume?" she smiled, opening her album. She clicked on a few photos. "Look. My little pumpkin."

Rogue smiled at them. "She's cute," she said, standing up. "Enjoy the night, Wanda."

Wanda nodded as Rogue walked off. She looked to see a few other boys had joined Evan and Kurt. She sighed, sitting back in her chair, flicking through her photos. A glance at the clock said ten minutes had passed. Ok, so only fifty more until they could go home.

"Hey Wanda," she heard her brother's voice and looked up. "I didn't know you were coming."

She smiled at him as he took a seat beside her. "Kurt talked me into it," she told him. "I didn't want to come."

"Yeah, well, these things are usually pretty lame," he conceded. "But it's not like there's anything else to do. Who's watching the rugrat?"

"Storm," Wanda told him, then held her phone up again. "Look! She was a pumpkin for Halloween."

Pietro laughed, looking at the pictures. "Wanda, you are so one of _those_ mothers."

She elbowed him. "Oh shut up. It's not my fault that she's gorgeous," she paused. "Actually, that _is_ my fault. But she is!"

"Yeah," Pietro agreed. "She's a cute one."

Wanda looked around. "Are the other guys here?"

"Yeah, somewhere," he told her. "Apparently Lance and Kitty are on the outs, so he's been sulking. He's over in the corner with Todd and Fred."

Wanda rolled her eyes. She looked back to her phone, the picture of her baby. Still had about 35 minutes left, but at least she was enjoying herself.

~&Q~

She chatted with her brother a bit, and then danced with Kurt for a while. She didn't realize they'd stayed longer than the hour she'd agreed to, but she didn't mind. She was having fun.

They'd been gone about two hours when Wanda started feeling nervous. She wanted to see her baby again, make sure all was ok, even though each text she'd sent had been responded to the same way by Ororo at home.

Kurt went to use the restroom before they left, and Wanda waited for him in the hall. They'd said their goodbyes, and she just wanted to get home to her girl.

"Wanda."

Her attention turned down the hall. She could see Toad standing there, watching her. She smiled at him. "Hi Todd."

"Hi," he moved closer, avoiding looking at her. "I saw you, before, sitting with Pietro. I didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't expect to. It was a last minute thing," she told him. "How are you? How have you been?"

He didn't answer, just took another few steps to him. "What's wrong with me?"

Wanda's brow furrowed. "What?"

"What's wrong with me?" he asked again. "Why did you never give me a chance? I _loved_ you, Wanda. I would have done _anything_ for you. Why didn't you ever give me a shot?"

"Todd," she began. "I'm sorry, but I never felt for you that way. I considered you a friend. I thought we _were_ friends."

He scowled at her. "I never wanted to be your _friend_. I wanted _you._ Everything I did, was because of how much I wanted you." He took a breath. "How do you think it feels, after all I did, all the love and energy I put in, that you go and run off with someone else?"

Wanda shook her head. "Todd, I was never _yours_."

"You should have been," he frowned at her. "After everything I did. You should have been." He gestured to himself. "You could have had someone even halfway _normal_ , but you went for that thing instead."

Wanda looked to him angrily. "You have no right to talk about him like that."

"I can say whatever I want!" Todd replied. "You _owe_ me, Wanda."

She stared at him. "I don't owe you _anything_ , Toad."

" _Don't call me that,"_ he glared at her angrily.

"What's going on?" Kurt had emerged from behind her.

Wanda turned to him. "Nothing, let's go." She took his hand and started to turn away.

"Fucking slut," they heard Toad say under his breath.

"What did you say?" Kurt stopped in his tracks, turning back in Toad's direction.

"You _heard_ me," Toad challenged, taking a step toward the blue boy. "She's a fucking slut. A dirty, disgusting fucking slut."

Kurt glared at him. Wanda put her hand on his chest. "Come on, love, he's not worth it."

"Yeah, I'm not, am I? Never been worth it," Toad spat. "I'm worth more than some nasty slut. So fucking stupid and slutty she ends up pregnant with a freak baby." Before Toad had a second, a fist had collided with his face. The boy took a few steps back, Kurt standing before him, ready to fight.

"Apologize to her," the blue boy glared through his hologram.

"Fuck you," Toad replied.

"Kurt, please," Wanda tried to grab his hand, but he pulled away.

"I'm giving you one more chance," Kurt told him. "Apologize."

" _Fuck you_ ," Toad replied, and spit in his direction.

Kurt pulled back his lip and lunged forward, tackling the boy. "Stop!" Wanda ran to them. Each was landing blows on the other. She saw Kurt's hologram flicker, and then disappear as the boys continued. It was only a matter of time before they attracted the attention of the dance, so Wanda summoned a hex bolt and shot it at them, causing them to hit opposite sides of the hall.

Wanda rushed to Kurt's side, the boy groaning where he sat against the wall. His lip was bloody, and his eye looked like it might start swelling. She heard a voice around the corner, and reached to his image inducer, pressing all the buttons until his hologram went back on. "Are you ok?" she asked him, her hands reaching to cup his face gently.

"Fine," he moved to stand. "He _still_ needs to apologize."

"Drop it," Wanda warned him. "Let's just go home."

Kurt looked to the other side of the hall, where Toad was starting to get up as well. His lip curled back again, but Wanda grabbed his face to her. " _Take me home_."

He sighed, and wrapped an arm around her, before they teleported away. They rematerialized right outside their bedroom. "Here," she led him into the bathroom. "Sit down. Let me look at you."

He sat, and she grabbed a wet towel, wiping away some of the blood. "It's not so bad," she said. "You are so stupid sometimes, Kurt."

"Stupid? Did you hear what he said?" Kurt lifted a brow at her, then winced in pain.

"Who cares what he said? He's hurt, and he's lashing out at me," she told him.

"I don't care how he feels," Kurt replied. " _No one_ talks to you that way."

"It's not important," she shook her head, looking to him.

"It _is,"_ he huffed at her. "You deserve better than to be treated like that. The _things_ he said about you? Nein. He called Talia a _freak baby_?" Kurt's nostrils flared. "Nein. Not my family."

She paused, pursing her lips. The freak baby comment hadn't hit her. She didn't want to rile him up any further, so she stood. "I'm going to let Ms. Ororo know we're back, alright?" He nodded, looking down at his hands and she left to go down the hall to the common room. Ororo sat, reading a book, with the baby monitor beside her. She smiled as Wanda walked in.

"I just checked her about ten minutes ago. Still out like a light," Ororo closed her book and stood.

"Thanks," Wanda smiled at her. "It was nice to go out."

"I'd be delighted to help any time," Ororo headed out of the room. "Just let me know."

"We will," Wanda told her. She grabbed the baby monitor and went back to her room. Kurt had closed the bathroom door, so she went through instead to the nursery. Talia was so content, sucking gently on her pacifier as she slept. She sighed sadly. "You are a beautiful baby," she told her, laying a hand on her chest, feeling it rise and fall. "You're not a freak baby. You're a gorgeous girl."

She turned away, heading into her bedroom. A moment later, Kurt entered as well. Wanda moved to him. "Still hurts?" she put a hand gently on his cheek.

"A bit," he shrugged. "Doesn't matter though." He leaned in to kiss her.

She kissed him back, her arms encircling him. "Let's go to bed," she said to him. "Maybe Talia will sleep long enough for us to have a little fun."

He lifted a brow at her with a smirk. "She better."


	22. Chapter 22

Weeks passed, and the weather cooled significantly. To the point, where Wanda was nervous bringing Talia outside at all. The leaves had fallen from the trees, the chill was no longer once in a while, it hung constantly in the air. Talia had surpassed her fourth month already as the holiday season began.

Thanksgiving was approaching, but it was a meaningless holiday to both Wanda and Kurt. He was German, and had never celebrated, and she, for some reason, had no recollection of ever celebrating herself. She wasn't born in the USA, but she spent most of her formative years here. It was odd, she'd never really thought about this until her daughter had her contemplating all holidays and how to celebrate them.

Kurt was far more excited about Christmas. He was eager to share this with their daughter, and Wanda was happy for him, but she had her own plans to put together Hanukkah for the baby. Both parents were engrossed with setting up each holiday, for a baby who likely would sleep through most of it.

The approaching holidays had brought something else to the forefront of Kurt's mind. "I'd like to get her baptized before Christmas," he said one morning.

Wanda shrugged, not looking at him. She'd agreed to this, and she wouldn't go back on it, regardless of how uncomfortable it made her. "When were you thinking?"

"Maybe in two weeks?" he offered. "I have to find a church who will do it, though." He trailed off with a frown. "I don't know many mutant friendly churches."

"You'll find one, I'm sure," she reached into the bassinet to retrieve their daughter, who'd be demanding breakfast soon. Wanda shifted herself to get the girl into nursing position.

"I can get a bottle if you want," Kurt offered.

"No," Wanda replied. "I need to nurse." The baby latched on easily and Wanda sighed as she sat back. "I like having her close like this."

Kurt shrugged. "Ja, I know. But I don't mind feeding her either."

"Yeah, but while I can," Wanda paused, her brow lifting. "Ow."

Kurt sat up. "What is it?"

She shifted a bit. "Ow! Ow, shit!" Wanda pulled the baby off her. Talia began to wail, and Wanda looked closely. "She's got a tooth coming in."

Kurt moved close, looking as well where Wanda indicated. "Already?"

"Yeah," Wanda frowned as she ran her finger over the girl's gums, resting on the sharp point where a canine would grow. Kurt shifted out of bed, pulling on a pair of sweatpants.

"I'll go get a bottle," he said as he left the room.

Wanda looked to her daughter, still angry and hungry. "I guess it's all bottle now."

~&Q~

Teething Talia was a completely different baby than her parents knew. The usually easy girl was inconsolable some days, keeping them up all hours of the night. Wanda was at her wits end, having no idea how to help her. All books and websites she read advised it was just a waiting game.

Wanda missed being able to nurse the girl as well, but the first tooth coming in was incredibly sharp. Another trait clearly inherited from her father.

The baby had cried, _nonstop_ , all day. Wanda did everything she could, used every teething toy they had, but to no avail. This was the worst day they'd had since she was born. Kurt had been at school all day, and Wanda actively resented him when he got home, smiling and refreshed.

"How's-" before he could even finish his sentence, Wanda had planted the wailing infant in his arms and was out the door. She had nowhere to go, and didn't really _want_ to go anywhere, she just needed to be _away_ from the baby. And that thought made her hate herself.

She made it out to the common room and basically collapsed on the couch. Kurt didn't follow, thankfully. She lay face down, just trying to get a few moments of peace. Wanda _loved_ her daughter, with the whole of her being, but she needed a break. She never thought she'd _ever_ feel this way, but she needed time away.

She could hear someone else in the room, and lifted her head. "Sorry!" Jean said to her. "I wasn't trying to wake you."

"I'm not sleeping," Wanda shifted to sitting. "Just need a break." She lifted a brow at the girl. "Aren't you supposed to be away at school?"

"Holidays," Jean told her. "We have time off for Thanksgiving."

"Ahh," Wanda nodded, then yawned.

Jean looked to her sympathetically. "So, I was going to ask how the baby is…"

Wanda slid her eye to her. "She's a hell beast." She lifted her hands to rub her eyes. "She's teething and suddenly is just a crying mess _all the time_."

"Where is she now?" Jean asked.

"With Kurt," Wanda sighed. "He can deal with her for now."

"Poor baby," Jean sighed. "I'm sure it's hard for her. Being in pain and not knowing how to deal with it."

Wanda's face melted into a frown. She felt guilt now that she couldn't help her girl, that she was in _so_ much pain, and all Wanda could do was pawn her off on her father and leave. She let out a breath and put her face in her hands.

"Don't-" Jean paused. "You're radiating guilt, Wanda. You're doing a good job by her. Really! She's a very happy baby, from what I've seen."

"She isn't right now," Wanda replied. "And there's nothing I can do."

Jean shrugged. "Yeah, but your job isn't to solve _everything_ , Wanda."

Wanda still frowned. "I don't know what to do if I'm not doing it for her. Since she's born, my _whole life_ has revolved around her. It's _so hard_ now, to be so helpless."

Jean paused. "Well, maybe you need time away." Wanda's head snapped to her. Jean lifted her hands defensively. "I'm talking a few hours here and there."

"I don't like the idea of being away from her," Wanda told her.

"You know, as part of my foundations for my teaching degree," Jean began. "We talk about early development. One of the things they mention is the need for babies to learn to be separate from their mothers, mainly to get them ready for situations where they will be, like preschool and such. It's normal for them to go through clingy periods, but also to not indulge them too much. Plus, it's good for the mother to reclaim a bit of her independence." Jean shrugged. "Not saying you need to do anything. Just a thought."

Wanda sighed. "Kurt's been hinting at me taking night classes. The Professor brought it up a while ago."

"Maybe that's a good idea," Jean smiled. "The community college offers GED courses. Maybe it's something to consider?"

She found herself not 100% opposed the idea, as she once was. She bit her lip. "I just worry."

"Of course you do," Jean smiled at her. "But it's not just good for you and good for the baby. It's good for Kurt, too. Being able to form a relationship with her that's separate from you."

She frowned again. Was her need to be with her daughter actually _stifling_ her from creating a relationship with her father? Wanda's guilt returned. Had she really already made irreparable mistakes this early in her child's life? She sighed sadly. "I suppose I can look into the classes."

"It's your choice," Jean said to her. She regarded her for a few moments. "What're you doing today, anyhow?"

Wanda shrugged. "I didn't have much of a plan," she told her.

"Well, since you need a break," Jean started. "Want to go see a movie? Or get coffee?"

Wanda thought a moment. A movie would be a big commitment, two hours plus away. Coffee, at least, she could make as long or short as she wanted. "Sure, coffee would be nice."

"Ok," Jean smiled. "I'll drive."

~&Q~

So I always liked Wanda and Jean's friendship in the XFC books :). A bit here. Also, for the first time in MONTHS, I have started writing this fic again!

I appreciate all the reviews here. It makes me so happy to get them in my inbox :D. I just want to say, I never really had a plan as to where this fic is going, but I am just going to keep going with it.

That being said, I am curious as to what any of you want to see. I love getting prompts and ideas. As I have no specific plan, maybe it will keep me writing :). And if you have a prompt that won't fit in here, maybe I'll write it for something else!


	23. Chapter 23

Coffee with Jean was exactly what she needed. Just getting out of the house for a bit, feeling _human_ again. By the time she got home, Talia was napping, and the silence was heaven sent.

Thanksgiving wasn't much of anything for them. The institute celebrated, and they attended. Wanda was far more interested in documenting the holiday with her baby than actually celebrating anything. The best part of it, though, was the time Kurt had off from school. She loved when they could spend time together as a family unit.

He'd been working at finding someone to baptize their daughter, but to no avail. He was frustrated, which in turn made Wanda angry. The anti-mutant sentiment was heavy, and many churches turned them away. She could see how much it effected Kurt, to be rejected by those who should be most accepting.

"How can these people claim to speak for God?" his frown was deep, as he climbed into bed beside her.

"They _don't_ ," Wanda turned toward him. "They don't at _all_."

"But they are priests. They've taken vows, they know the Lord's word." His expression was heartbreaking.

She reached her hand out, placing it on his cheek. "God _made_ you, right? He made you, and me, and Talia, and he made us _perfectly_. _Those people_ do not speak for him."

He shook his head. "What will we do? Talia _needs_ to be baptized."

In her mind, her daughter really _didn't,_ but it was so important to Kurt. The fact that these people were standing in their way made her want it all the more. Who the _hell_ was going to tell them they couldn't have their daughter baptized?! "I'm sure we can find someone," she offered.

"Well," he paused. "One priest agreed. But his church will not let it happen there. She _has_ to be baptized in a church."

She lifted a brow. " _Any_ church?"

"Well, a Catholic church," he replied.

She sat up a bit, leaning on her elbow. "What about our church? The one we met in?"

He lifted his brow now. "It's abandoned," he said. "It hasn't been used in years…"

"Yeah, but _you_ went there. You told me, it's still God's house," she cuddled into him. "And the _symbolism_. She is baptized in the church where we _met_? It's romantic."

He smiled, a very small smile. "I didn't think of it like that," he replied, then looked to her. "You are a _genius_ , leibchen."

She smiled back. "I know," she put her arms around him. "You're lucky."

He scoffed, but then kissed her. "I know I am."

~&Q~

The next morning, Kurt had gone early to see the priest who had offered to do the baptism. That left her alone with their little lovely. "Good morning!" Wanda chirped at the baby as she plucked her from her crib. Talia whined and cried against her. "What's wrong, little girl?" Wanda frowned at her.

The girl just cried. Yeah, teething. Right. Wanda bounced her a bit, and brought her to find a teething toy in the freezer of the kitchen. No one was around, so it was in and out and back to their room. "There, my baby girl," Wanda held the ring to her mouth, the girl immediately gnawing on it. Her hands came up to grasp it as well, and there was silence. "I wish I could take your pain away."

Talia was calmer, and Wanda placed her on a play mat, just to go brush her teeth. When she returned, she noted the baby wasn't laying as she'd left her, instead she was sitting up, rather unsteadily, the teething ring hanging from her mouth. "Talia!" she rushed to her daughter's side. "Did you sit up _all by yourself?!"_

The girl beamed at her, proudly. Wanda sat beside her, her hands on either side, in case the baby fell one way or the other. Talia turned to her, leaning toward her until she fell forward, her hands landing in Wanda's lap. Wanda scooped her up, giving her little kisses. "Mommy's so _proud_ of you!"

Talia giggled as Wanda pulled her close. _Here_ , this was the baby she loved! Happy and smiley, and giggly. After a few moments of cuddling, the girl began to whine again, so Wanda set her on the play mat with her teething ring. "You'll appreciate your teeth one day, I promise."

"Hey!" A redhead peeked in the open door of the nursery. "What're you up to?"

Wanda smiled at Jean. "Just enjoying our morning so far."

"I see that," she moved to sit with them. As she did, Talia's eyes widened and she reached to her mother, crying.

"Oh, noooo, Talia," Wanda frowned. "That's Jean. She's our friend." She lifted the girl into her lap, and the infant clutched tightly to her.

"It's ok," Jean said. "I'm not offended. She just doesn't know me." She leaned in a bit to stroke the girls back lightly with her finger. "But I know you _so_ well Miss Talia Josephine. I met you when you were itty bitty."

"You did," Wanda said, then looked to the girl. "No need to be scared. Mommy's right here."

The girl seemed to loosen her grip, _minutely_ , but she still eyed Jean warily. It was a relatively new reaction, and Wanda filed it in the back of her head to read up. Was this normal, or something they needed to be worried about?

"Where's Kurt?" Jean asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"He went to arrange a baptism for Talia," she told her. "He's been trying to work it out all week."

"Ahh," Jean replied, smiling at the girl. Talia, slowly, tentatively, reached out and poked Jean's arm with her tail, before withdrawing it quickly. "Ow! Hey!" Jean furrowed her brow in jest at the girl. "Don't go poking me!"

Talia smiled a bit, and reached out again with her tail. "Ow!" Jean said again. "I said stop it!" The baby giggled this time, and repeated her actions. "Ow!" Jean kept her reaction consistent and Talia laughed.

"See?" Wanda smiled at her girl. "Jean's a friend, lovely."

"I'm a _great_ friend to such a cutie pie like you," Jean told the girl. She looked to Wanda. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to the mall with me? I have to pick up a few things before I head back to school."

"I'd love to," Wanda frowned. "But I have her. I'm not sure when Kurt will be back."

"Bring her," Jean suggested. "You have a stroller, right?"

Wanda's eyes widened. "Bring her? How can I bring her?" she looked to the girl. "It's one thing when she was tiny and slept all the time, but how could I _possibly_ keep her hidden now?"

Jean frowned as well. "True," she replied. "Has the Professor not issued her an image inducer yet?"

Wanda shook her head, her eye sliding to Jean. "Like what Kurt has? No," she said.

"Why not ask?" Jean said. "I'm sure he can get one."

Wanda let out a breath. "I don't think I like the idea of it…"

Jean furrowed her brow. "Why not?"

"Because what am I teaching her, to hide?" Wanda replied. "She's absolutely perfect as she is. It's not her who has a problem, it's the _world_. If I train her to hide who she is, all she'll think is that she has to change in order to be accepted and she _shouldn't._ "

Jean nodded. "What does Kurt think?"

"I dunno," Wanda shrugged. "We've never spoken about it."

"I guess that's for you guys to decide," Jean shrugged.

Wanda nodded, looking down at her daughter. She was such a beautiful child, the most perfect baby Wanda had ever seen. She _despised_ the idea that she might want to _hide_ her from the world. "I don't think we'll do the mall today, Jean," she said. Maybe _one_ day… but not today.

~&Q~

I love all the ideas that have been shared so far! Some are coming, some I think I will incorporate. Keep them coming :)


	24. Chapter 24

Kurt had come home excited. Everything had been settled to have Talia baptized that week. They had to choose godparents, who Kurt described as being the people who would help to guide her through her spiritual life. He'd chosen Rogue, who he considered a sister, and Wanda chose her brother. The priest was a bit put off by an agnostic and a Jew standing up for her, but he rolled with it. It wasn't the _oddest_ thing about this baptism.

After the actual ceremony, they took some pictures and celebrated just as a family. Kurt spent some time on the phone with his parents, sending pictures and telling them about everything. Wanda said hi as well, but his parents made her _nervous_. They had yet to meet. They'd wanted _desperately_ to come when Talia was born, but they couldn't afford the trip. They promised their son that they were _saving_ and would soon come to finally meet their grandchild. Wanda was alright with them taking their time.

Hannukah had come and gone, and it delighted Wanda to share it with Talia for her first. Kurt participated as well, technically also _his_ first. They were coming closer to Christmas, and she noticed her boyfriend growing a bit somber. He was excited, but there seemed to be something missing. All that changed, however, when he rushed into their room after the last day of school before Christmas breaks.

"Pack a bag!" he said, a huge smile on his face as he dropped his school books. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed, speaking excitedly in German to the other end. She knew from experience it was his parents.

Wanda didn't move, simply sat with a sleeping baby slung across her lap. She waited for him to get off the phone. "What are you talking about?"

"Pack! Get a bag together for you and Talia," he said, pulling some bags from their closet. "The Professor is flying us to Germany for Christmas! We're going _home!"_

She pursed her lips, not sharing her boyfriend's excitement. Talia had woken, and made a cranky sound, to which he plucked her out of Wanda's lap. "You are going to meet Oma and Opa, mein schatz! Finally! They cannot _wait_ to see you!"

Wanda stood, following him as he went into the nursery, Talia in one arm, an empty bag in the other. "Wait, Kurt, slow _down_ ," she frowned. "How can we go to Germany?"

"We _fly_ ," he raised a brow at her. "Like _anyone_ does. How do you think people go to Europe?"

"No, that's not what I meant," she sighed. "How do _we_ go?" She gestured very clearly at him and their daughter.

He smirked at her, holding his wrist out. "The highest of tech, liebe. You have seen my image inducer," he reached into his pocket to pull out a small cuff. "The Professor had one made for Talia."

She sighed, her expression growing angry. "I don't want her wearing that thing."

"Why not?" he asked her, placing it on her wrist. "Look," he pressed a button and her perfect, beautiful, blue baby girl was replaced by an ordinary child.

Wanda glared at him and moved forward, snatching it off her. "Take that _off_!" She threw it toward a trash can. "I do not _ever_ want to see that on her again!"

He frowned at his girlfriend, deeply. "Wanda, how will we go home for Christmas?"

"Excuse me, but I _am_ home," she told him, crossing her arms. "Since when is _this_ not _your_ home?"

"It _is_ ," he told her firmly. "Of course this is my home. But I _grew up_ in Germany, and that is where my parents are. And they have waited _months_ to meet their granddaughter."

She crossed her arms. She couldn't argue with that. She knew how much his parents wanted to meet Talia, and by extension herself, but the whole thing made her nervous. This meant _a lot_ to Kurt, though. She frowned.

"I know why you don't like this," he moved to pick up the image inducer. "And I agree. We should not be teaching her to hide who she is. But right now, when she's so young, it is an easy way for us to travel with her. And I want to bring her back to meet my parents."

She sighed again, then took a few steps to him. "We will _only_ use it when we fly. For _no other_ time," she told him.

"Of course," he agreed.

With a frown, she turned to grab a bag. "Then I suppose we better pack."

~&Q~

It was a twelve and a half hour flight to Germany. _Twelve and a half hours_. And they were _that couple_ with the baby. Between teething and the flight, Talia was not having a good time. They got plenty of irritated looks from the other passengers, and Wanda doled out some glares of her own. When they finally touched down, she wanted to _run_ off the flight and finally be done with this.

She carried their cranky, angry baby while Kurt dealt with the luggage. As they made their way out, Kurt began waving fanatically at an older couple. The woman and man rushed over and he threw his arms around them. They spoke to each other in German, before all eyes were on her. Wanda approached slowly, Talia still fidgeting in her arms.

"Wanda," the woman said, then put her arms around her. She pulled away. "You call me Mama?"

Wanda shrugged a bit, looking to Kurt who just smiled back. "….ok."

His mother's expression changed at the baby in her arms. She spoke with a sweet voice to her, and Wanda frowned because she had no idea what she was saying. She looked back to Wanda. "I want see my baby."

Her brow furrowed. Kurt stepped up. "We will go to the car, then we can turn all this off when we are home, ja?"

His mother nodded, putting her arm through Wanda's, as Kurt and his father grabbed the bags. As they walked to the parking lot, Wanda frowned. _Her baby_?

~&Q~

I had this realization that there are references to when Wanda and Kurt first met and how their relationship began, but I don't have any of that in this fic! Though, I _have_ written it all. I don't know if I should put it in this fic as flash backs or in a whole other fic. Hmmm...


	25. Chapter 25

The ride to the house was longer than she expected. They drove through city, into suburbs, through country and into what must have been the German equivalent of backwoods. They had a small house, on a small farm, and they ushered her and Kurt into the house. As soon as the door was closed, his mother was gesturing at Kurt's watch as she spoke.

"Alright," he sighed, disengaging it. As his blue self appeared, his mother's eyes lit up and she moved to give him a kiss. His father came up and hugged him as well. Then all eyes were on her again.

Talia had fallen asleep on the ride over, and now was in between asleep and awake. She was in a new place with new people, and she wanted to see what was happening, but she was also tired from the trip. Her head was against Wanda's shoulder, as Kurt moved over to turn off the image inducer. Both of his parents smiled widely as they _finally_ saw their granddaughter.

"Beautiful! Beautiful madchen!" his mother said, moving close. His father was right behind, coming to take a closer look at her. She reached over to take the baby from her, and Wanda, _very reluctantly_ , allowed her, her eye sliding to Kurt.

"Look at beautiful girl!" his father said, reaching over to pet a hand over her head. "Looks much like Daddy, ja?"

"Ja," Kurt said proudly, moving beside Wanda, putting an arm around her waist. She still played with her fingers nervously, watching these _strangers_ with her baby.

"Eyes like _Mama_ ," his mother said, pointing to Wanda. "Und…" she paused, searching for the word. "Nose. Ja."

Talia took in to two who were gushing over her, then decided she was _not_ having it. She sought out her mother and reached for her urgently.

"Nein nein, liebling," Kurt's mother soothed. "Oma und Opa, ja? We so happy for you." She kissed the girl's head.

Talia whined further, still reaching for her mother. Wanda moved to step forward, wanting her baby back, but stopped herself. Instead, she allowed Kurt to take her. He spoke to his parents and they nodded. He then turned the baby over to her. "We are going to get settled, ja? I will take you to our room."

His parents stayed in the other room as Wanda followed Kurt up a small staircase. The room he brought her to was _so_ obviously his childhood bedroom, with small knickknacks on shelves, posters on the wall, and, what she expected was a new addition, a little crib in the corner. "It is not big," he said to her, taking a seat on his bed. "But we can make it the week, ja?"

She nodded, still looking around with a small smile. "This is where you grew up?"

"Ja," he said, looking around. He stood to pick a stuffed animal off a shelf. "I suppose I can put some of this stuff away… it's a bit babyish."

Talia spied the stuffed animal in her father's hands and reached for it. He allowed her to take it, and she looked to her parents with a triumphant smile. "Perfect for our baby," she said, then paused. "Why did your mother call Talia _her_ baby?"

He shook his head. "My mother's English is very weak," he told her. "My father is better than her but still not perfect. She wasn't trying to say Talia was _hers_." He smirked at her. "Anyhow, my parents promised to try to speak English around you as much as they could. I don't want you to feel left out."

She smiled at him, then leaned in for a quick kiss. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_ ," he said. "My parents are so happy. I'm so glad we could come, and they could meet our daughter."

~&Q~

They'd had dinner soon after, and then the three of them headed for bed. Jetlag and the trip were getting to them, so they decided to turn in early. Talia had fallen asleep _long_ ago, and Wanda could tell Kurt's parents were disappointed to not spend more time with her.

Early the next morning, Kurt woke her to let her know he was going to help his father. He urged her to go back to sleep, and she was _happy_ to. When she finally did wake, she was shocked at the time on the clock and lunged out of the bed to check on her daughter. Talia _should_ have woke her by now, but she found her child not in the crib. Panic started to creep in, but she decided before she _act_ on it, to check downstairs.

She let out a small breath as she heard her daughter's happy giggle and the voice of Kurt's mother. _Still_ , she did not like the idea of someone just _helping themselves_ to her baby. She appeared in the kitchen, finding Talia seated in a high chair and Oma sitting at the table. "Mama awake!" she said, her hand on Talia's arm, pointing to where Wanda is. "Come sit!"

Wanda moved quickly to her daughter's side, kissing her head. "I didn't expect to sleep in. She usually wakes me."

"Nein, Mama sleep," she replied. "I take, I change, I clean, I feed. Baby _happy_." She said, smiling at her granddaughter.

She sat down at the table, reaching to rest her hand on Talia's back. "You didn't have to do all that." She didn't _want_ her to have done all that.

Oma nodded. "Ja, I do," she said, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Take care of mein enkelin. Perfekte, schöne Mädchen." She leaned closer to nuzzle against Talia, who seemed happy to oblige.

Wanda just nodded, unsure of what she was saying. She would likely talk to Kurt when he got back about _boundaries_. It just rubbed her the wrong way that this woman had come in while she was sleeping and _taken_ her child. But she bit her tongue, for now.

Oma reached over and put her hand on Wanda's, smiling softly. "You und mein Kurtie?"

Wanda furrowed her brow, instantly feeling uncomfortable. "Uh…yes?" What was she asking? I mean, it wasn't as if it wasn't _clear_ they were together. They had living evidence in the room.

Oma paused, as she seemed to be thinking. "You…" she began. "You marry mein Kurtie?"

Wanda pursed her lips. What had Kurt told them? He had _proposed_ , but they had no plans. She wasn't sure how to respond. But the longer she sat silent, the more she fidgeted. "I—want to," she told her honestly.

"Wunderbar," the other woman said, clasping her hands together. She smiled widely. "You marry. Happy!" She stood, moving to the kitchen counter. "Marry und have more baby, ja?" she asked her.

Wanda's eyes widened. She was not ready for that question. She was only a few months in to the _first_ baby. Thankfully, Kurt's mother did not push. "Make food, ja? Bist du hungrig? Er….hungry?" she asked.

Wanda just nodded, and the woman got to cooking. Talia turned to her mother, and reached her hands out, wanting to be held. Happy to oblige, she pulled her out of the high chair. She noted the happy smile on Talia's face as she looked between her mother and grandmother, holding tight to and swinging a spoon. At least she was happy. That was more than enough for Wanda.

~&Q~

So...I will be posting some of the background stuff...eventually.


	26. Chapter 26

Kurt and his father had come back around dinner time. Wanda had had to bite her tongue a few more times, as Oma _insisted_ she do _everything_ for Talia. They were only there a few more days and she didn't want to stir the pot. After all, she _did_ intend to marry Kurt one day, which meant that offending his parents _this_ early in their relationship did not bode well for the next however many decades.

"You are not happy," Kurt said, a few nights later. He was _so_ observant at times, picking up on it even though she tried to hide it.

"I'm fine," she said, changing Talia into her pajamas.

"Nein, you are not," he replied. "What is it?"

She paused, as she pulled off the girl's onesie to find her in a cloth diaper. Something Oma had taken to doing, even though they had packed _plenty_ of disposable ones and Wanda told her to use them. She pursed her lips. "Your mother doesn't _listen_ to me."

Kurt furrowed his brow. "She says you both talk all the time. She loves spending time with you."

"We talk, but she doesn't _listen_ to me, when it comes to her," she huffed, removing the diaper and pulling out one of _hers_. "I _get_ I am young and she has _far_ more years as a mother than I do, but _I_ am Talia's mother. I feel like she just does what she wants, even when I ask her not to."

"She is trying to do her best," he told her with a frown. "Both my parents regret that they haven't been able to meet her until now. They want to make up for all that lost time."

"By changing everything?" Wanda turned to him. "She makes up for lost time by going _directly against_ the wishes of the mother of their grandchild?"

"If it bothers you, I will tell her to stop," he shrugged.

"I need you to understand _why_ it bothers me," she said, finally getting the baby dressed and picking her up for her evening bottle. "This is _our_ daughter, Kurt. _We_ are the ones who decide what diapers she gets or what to dress her in, or when she can have a cookie, or what to put in her bottle. I am _glad_ that your parents have gotten to meet her, but I don't like my child being hijacked while we're here."

He frowned at her, then shook his head. "I understand," he told her. "I will talk with her, ja? Just…my mother _only_ wants the best. I promise you that. And I am sure if she knew you felt this way, she would stop. She likes you." He moved up and put his arm around them. "She said you told her you want to marry me."

"Well, _you know_ that," she said, looking up to him. "She also expects us to have many more children."

He stiffened a bit, but then pulled her tighter. "Well….let us deal with the _one_ for now…"

~&Q~

Kurt had the promised talk with his mother and she backed off….a bit. Wanda decided she would just _deal_ with this trip. And that she would do her best to learn German so at least she could better communicate.

Christmas was wonderful, though. Talia was positively _spoiled_. Wanda questioned exactly _how_ they would get all of the toys and gifts she'd gotten home, and Kurt's father sheepishly offered that some could stay there, so she'd have them when she visited. She knew what they were doing, and she understood it. They wanted them to come more often, and they wanted their granddaughter to have a place in her home. It actually soothed Wanda. Even though she had not seen eye to eye with Kurt's parents, they _loved_ her daughter, and that meant a lot to her.

It was finally time to head home. Kurt and his father were packing the car, as Wanda readied the baby. She headed downstairs with Talia in her arms, stopping as Kurt's mother watched from the couch.

The older woman stood, and moved closer. Her eyes were full of tears, and she simply put her arms around Wanda and Talia. " _Bitte_ ," she started. "You come back, ja?"

Wanda gave her a small smile as she pulled away. "Of _course_."

Kurt's mother turned her attention to Talia, kissing her cheeks and speaking to her in German. She paused, looking to Wanda. "She is most…beautiful baby. _Most_ beautiful. So much love."

"Thank you," Wanda replied. "You have been _wonderful_. Talia is lucky to have such a great Oma. Right, my lovely girl?" She tickled her a bit, getting a wide smile. Talia turned and directed that smile at her grandmother. Wanda could tell by her expression how _much_ that meant to Oma.

"Good mama," Oma told her. Kurt and his father had reentered the room, and she turned her attention to her son. "Sie wählten nun, mein Junge. Sie ist die perfekte Mutter für meine kostbare Enkelin."

He smiled. "Ja, Ich stimme zu," he told her, then looked to his girlfriend. "The car is ready." They all piled in for the long trip back, and there were _much_ sad goodbyes at the airport. Image inducers were on, they were through security waiting at the gate, Talia _thankfully_ asleep. Wanda turned to Kurt.

"What did your mother say when we left?" she asked him.

He looked to her, with a little smile. "That I did good, choosing you," he said, reaching to take her hand. "And that you are the _most perfect_ mother for our daughter."

That made her smile, and she leaned her head against his shoulder. It wasn't _such_ a bad trip.


	27. Chapter 27

It was nice to be home. Wanda felt like she could relax. After the new year, school started up again and it was back to routine. She loved the time she spent with her daughter, but Talia was getting more and more independent. Her mind turned again to the night classes that had been offered when she'd first given birth. At the time, it seemed _insane_ that she would leave her daughter _ever_ , but now, with Talia at six months, she saw the value in it. Plus, Wanda wanted to give Kurt a chance to spend more time with her. She brought it up to him, and he talked to the Professor, who arranged for her to go to an 'introduction' GED class. Now, she sat in a classroom, for the first time in almost a year. Her phone was in her hands, watching it carefully, in _case_ something happened at home and Kurt needed to call. The introduction was brief, only 20 minutes, describing how the class would go, and that by the end they would be able to take a GED test for the equivalent of a High School diploma. This didn't mean _much_ to her, but she knew it would make Kurt happy.

She grabbed her bag at the end, moving to the front of the room to officially sign up. Once a week for the next six months was _not_ horrible. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blonde watching her. The girl looked _familiar_ , but she couldn't place it. She walked to the door, pulling her phone out to call for a ride.

"It's Wanda, right?"

She turned to the blonde with a raised brow. "I'm sorry?"

"You…you're Pietro's sister." She smiled. "I remember you. You started living at the house after I left." She held out a hand as Wanda still gave her a confused look. "Tabby."

Wanda just nodded, not taking her hand.

"I _heard_ you were icy," she smirked. "Anyway, it's still nice to see a familiar face, even if we barely know each other." She leaned in a bit. "Though I didn't expect to see any of you here. I thought the Brotherhood was _over_ school. Who thought they'd care about a GED?"

"I'm _not_ Brotherhood," she told her, narrowing her eyes. "And my reasons for wanting this are my own."

She nodded, holding her hands up. "Didn't mean to offend," she told her. "I mean, there's no shame in it, you know? I dropped out over two years ago, and honestly, I wish I hadn't. I've been trying to get a job and it's _no_ easy task without a diploma. And no _way_ are you going to find me in school again. So, here I am."

Wanda took a breath, then nodded again. The girl seemed harmless, and clearly wanted someone to talk to. "There is no shame, no." She agreed. "I am here for the same reasons you are."

"I didn't know you'd dropped out," she said. "Just sick of the day to day? That's what got to me."

"No," she shook her head. It wasn't like there were any secrets. Basically _everyone_ knew about her situation now. So there was no reason to not tell Tabby. "I had a baby."

The other girl's eyes widened in surprise. "A baby?" she replied. "When?"

"Last summer," she told her. "I haven't been back to school since then, but my boyfriend is insistent that I at least get a diploma."

"Who's the boyfriend?" she asked her. "Someone from Bayville?"

"Yes," she told her. It seemed a bit proddy.

"One of the boys from the brotherhood?" she asked. "Lance? Freddy?...Toad?"

" _No_ ," she scoffed. "No, none of them."

"One of the X-Men then?" she lifted a brow. "I _doubt_ very much the daughter of Magneto hooked up with a human."

She was going to guess until she got it, Wanda could tell. "Kurt Wagner," she told her.

Tabby's eyebrows hit her hairline. " _Blue_?! You hooked up with _blue_?!"

Wanda did not like her reaction. "His name is _Kurt_ ," she glared at her.

Tabby waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah I know," she said. "So….he's then….the father?"

"Yes," Wanda told her. She was getting tired of talking to this girl. She pulled her phone out again and sent a text for a ride home.

"Wow," she said. "Impressive. I had a bit of a thing for him, you know. Way back when I was living at the mansion."

That made her turn back. "What kind of thing?"

Tabby smirked at her. "A _thing_ ," she repeated. "I think he had a thing for me too. We just never _did_ anything about it."

This made her _uncomfortable_. "It's too bad," Tabby continued. "I always wondered…." Wanda couldn't help but lift a brow at her. "….if he was furry _everywhere_ , you know?"

She glared. "That's _none_ of your business," she told her.

"But it's _all yours_ now, hmm?" Tabby smirked. "I'd think Blue would be good in bed. Probably work extra hard at it. Add in the tail and _man_."

Wanda looked away, hoping to see a car pull up. She was really tired of this conversation. It made her uncomfortable and she _hated_ that this girl was calling him 'blue'. It seemed exploitative.

"So?" Tabby moved closer. "What's it like?"

Wanda turned to her finally. "What makes you think I would share that with _you_?" She glanced to her phone again, hoping to see a respond text.

Tabby glanced at the phone as well, smiling at the picture on it. "I take it that's the baby?" she said at the blue child in Wanda's background.

Wanda glared at her. "Can you _mind_ your business? I barely _know_ you and you're asking me about my _private life_. I don't want to _talk_ to you."

The blonde girl shrugged. "Wow. I thought regular sex loosened you up, but _clearly_ not," she smirked. "Anyway, maybe I'll drop in and see my old friend. I bet he'd be happy to see me again."

Wanda rolled her eyes. "I doubt that." Come _on_ where was the car?!

"You don't know what we had," Tabby told her. "Anyway, my ride is here. Nice catching up with you." She gave Wanda a parting smile and headed off. A moment later, the car from the institute arrived. Wanda was seething. She was angry at this girl, but she also felt the need to talk to her boyfriend. He had _never_ mentioned her. Why hadn't he?

As soon as she got back, she headed to their room. When the door opened, Kurt looked up, with Talia in his arms. "Mommy's home!" The baby squealed, seeing her mother.

"She should be in _bed_ ," she said, moving to take her and give her a kiss.

"She wanted to wait up and find out how Mommy's first day of class went," he said, following as Wanda brought the baby into the nursery.

"Did she?" she asked as she got her girl changed and ready for bed. Talia was sucking on her tail, a hand curled up by her neck. Both were signs that she was ready for bed. Wanda sighed. _Fathers_. If she had been here, their daughter wouldn't be over tired! She gave the girl another kiss, then put her in her crib. "Goodnight, my little princess."

"Wanda," Kurt lifted a brow, now following her back to their bedroom. "How did everything go?"

"Who is Tabby? Do you know her?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Tabby?" he asked back. He paused, then a look of recognition came across his face. " _Tabby!_ Ja, I know her. Why?"

"She knows _you_. Apparently _well_ ," Wanda replied. "She was in my class. She says you had _things_ for each other."

" _What_?!" he looked at her incredulously. "She said this? We had _things_ for each other?"

"Didn't I _just_ say that?" she sighed. "She made it seem like there was something between you, and I was wondering why you _never_ mentioned her."

"Because nothing _happened_ ," he told her. "Why would I mention her?"

"But you had a thing for her?" she lifted a brow.

He paused, with a quick sigh. "You can't even call it that," he said. "I was _new_ to the institute. New to the _country_. She paid attention to me… _different_ attention than I was used to. But nothing ever actually _happened_."

"Well she seems to think something _should_ ," Wanda told him. "When she found out we were together, she acted as if she had 'dibs' or something."

"She is out of luck," he told her, moving forward. "Because I am _taken_." He slowly pulled her into his arms.

She wrapped her arms around him. " _Good_ ," she responded. She was being a _bit_ irrational, she knew, but the idea that someone might threaten her little family bothered her _immensely_.

"I love you too much," he said, kissing her briefly. "I will _never_ let you go, I promise."


	28. Interlude pt 1

_We're going to take a little interlude from the main story and go back to the beginning, to how these two met..._

 _~ &Q~_

She was fully aware of the irony as she took a seat in the pew. A Jewish girl, finding such peace in a Catholic church. Though, it wasn't faith that brought her here. It was peace.

She'd found it the month before, while trudging through the woods behind the Brotherhood house. Boarded up, hidden behind a large warehouse was this small church. Who knew when the last time it had been used was? It seemed to have been forgotten so long ago that she was sure few still existed who knew of its location.

It was pretty. A few stained glass windows still intact. An enormous crucifix hung, alone, all other artworks and idols had been cleared away. It was in a state of decay, something she found all the more beautiful about it. But what she really loved about it, was it was _hers_. It was her place, away from the boys and that house, where she could just be with herself. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She never knew how much she needed a place like this until she found it.

She was disturbed by an odd sound, which echoed through the old building. An eye opened to scan around, coming on a figure under the crucifix. He knelt, and she could hear murmuring in a language she didn't understand. Wanda scowled, angry that _her_ sanctuary had been found by someone else. But damned if she'd be the one to leave.

She stood up and moved closer. Summoning a hex bolt, just in case, she came upon the figure. After a few moments, he stood, and as he turned took a leap backward. Wanda brought her hand up. "Don't!"

The blue mutant put his hands up. "Ok! Uh," he took a deep breath. "It's ok. I'm not going to do anything."

Wanda narrowed her eyes. "What're you doing here?"

His brow furrowed. "Praying? What're you doing here?"

"That's not your business," she put her hand down, allowing the hex bolt to dissipate.

"Ok," he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Well-"

"Leave," she demanded.

He stared at her. "Nein."

Wanda glared at him. "Yes!"

"Nein," he repeated. "You can't decide who can come here. This house belongs to God, and I can come and go as I like."

"Well, I don't want you here," Wanda crossed her arms.

The blue boy shrugged. "Oh well," he turned back to the crucifix.

Wanda let out a breath, closing her eyes. She turned and kicked a pew, making an angry noise. Her _only_ place, the _only_ place that was _hers_.

"Could you not?" he looked to her sideways.

" _You_ don't get to tell me what to do!" she replied. "This is _my_ place."

"Well, you'll have to share it," he glared at her.

She pursed her lips angrily. "Maybe _you_ can find another place."

He spun around, standing up. " _Where_?" he countered. "Where does someone like _me_ go to worship? Do you think I can just _walk_ into a church?" He paused. "I was so happy to find this place. And now you come and tell me _I_ have to leave? Nein." He turned away from her. "If you don't like it, you leave."

She was taken aback by his outburst. Few ever spoke back to her, most were simply afraid of her. She didn't know how to respond at first, but she felt incredibly guilty. He had a point. "I didn't think of it like that."

"What luxury you have to not _have_ to think of it like that," he spat.

Wanda sighed. "Alright, I'm sorry," she started. "I just liked to have this place to myself. It's not like I get _any_ peace at all at that house."

"Well, like I offered, I am sure we can share this space," he told her. "I'm guessing it's not easy living with those boys."

She shook her head. "You have no idea."

He smirked. "I can tell you when I come here, if you like. We can set it up so that we alternate. I don't mind it. I know how important it is to have your own space."

Wanda gave him a small smile. "That would be nice."

He smiled back. "What is that? You can smile?" he teased. "Wait until the world hears this. The Scarlet Witch smiles!"

"Stop it," she rolled her eyes. "And it's Wanda, anyhow."

"Kurt," he indicated himself.

~&Q~

They came up with a schedule that allowed them each their own time at this place. Wanda still felt odd having to share it, but she didn't mind so much with him. He was a nice enough guy. She really didn't know much about the X-Men, but she disliked them on principle. Kurt seemed different from her notion of who they were.

She stuck to their schedule, enjoying the place to herself when she could. Part of her couldn't get Kurt out of her mind, however. She felt bad about how she'd been to him from the start, and guilty over the things she'd said. She'd faced her own persecution for being a mutant, but couldn't imagine what someone like him may face. How hard must it be to not be able to hide your mutation.

One afternoon was particularly irritating to her. Toad would _not_ leave her alone, and she set out to the old church. She knew he'd be there, but he was considerably the lesser of two evils.

She could see him in his usual spot, just before the crucifix as she entered. She stood back, by the door, watching as he stood. He did something with his hands, then turned around.

"I thought we agreed?" he asked her, raising a brow.

"Yeah," Wanda nodded. "But I really needed to get out of the house. I hope you don't mind?"

He shook his head. "Of course not. I was just leaving anyhow."

"Well," Wanda took a few steps forward. "You don't have to rush off. I wouldn't mind some company."

Kurt eyed her warily, then took a seat in a pew. "Ok. If you want."

Wanda sat across from him. They were silent. She wasn't the best conversationalist, and had no idea how to even begin. What would she talk to him about? But there was something nice about having someone else there with her.

"So, who is bothering you the most?" Kurt asked her. "Your brother?"

Wanda rolled her eyes. " _All_ of them. They're all so rude and loud. I can't get five seconds to myself unless I literally lock myself in my room." She slouched into the pew. "But it's mostly Toad."

"Toad?" he lifted a brow. "I thought you and him were…"

Wanda's brows shot up. "What?! NO! No, absolutely not!"

Kurt lifted his hands. "Sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"Why on _earth_ would you _ever_ think that?!" Wanda demanded. Was this a rumor going around? She was horrified.

"Remember the ski chalet?" Kurt said. "You kissed him."

"Oh, yeah, I remember," Wanda rolled her eyes. "I kissed a guy who then revealed himself to be Toad? I did _not_ kiss Toad on purpose. Trust me. He drives me absolutely insane. Always calling me his baby. This stupid, moony crush is too much to handle."

"Well," Kurt began. "Can you blame him?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

Kurt shrunk slightly under her gaze. "I mean-" he paused. "You are a beautiful woman. I can see why-"

She paused, having been called beautiful. She'd never heard someone refer to her that way. She shook her head, letting that feeling go. "He doesn't make me feel beautiful. He makes me feel dirty."

Kurt frowned. "I'm sorry then. You shouldn't feel that way," he shifted a bit. "I see why you want to get away."

Wanda nodded. "Why do you, then? What makes you come here so often?"

"I told you," he said. "I come to worship. It's the only church I can step into as myself, as God made me. I feel dishonest wearing my image inducer to church. Like I am not grateful for all that God gave me. So I come here."

"Yeah," Wanda started. "But I've never met anyone who went to church _every_ day."

"Well," he began. "I suppose I come for similar reasons as you. I need time away sometimes."

"Really?" Wanda smirked at him, pulling her knees up. "You all make it seem like it's so perfect to be an X-man. Why would you ever need time away?"

He furrowed his brow at her. "I just _do_ ," was his reply. "Not everything is perfect all the time. I like being an X-man and I love my friends. But-" He shook his head. "Never mind."

Her expression grew concerned. "But what?"

He slid his eye to her, then took a breath. "Sometimes I get tired of feeling like a mascot."

"Mascot?"

"Ja," he said. "They all are normal, and then there's me. The only one like me. And-" he paused. "They're my friends, but sometimes they treat me differently. Like, sometimes I feel like they pity me. I hate it."

They were quiet. Wanda shifted uncomfortably. Though, in a way, she could understand where he was coming from. In the Brotherhood, she was the 'other'. The girl, the one who couldn't control her powers. She bit her lip, then reached out to him, putting her hand tentatively on his arm. "I don't pity you."

Kurt didn't respond, simply stood up. "I should go back. They'll wonder about me soon." He looked to her. "It was nice talking, though. Maybe I'll see you around?"

Wanda nodded, giving him a small smile as he left.

~&Q~

I have had all of this written for a LONG time, and I have maybe 1-2 more chapters of this 'prequel' of sorts. I am pretty blocked with the main fic atm, so I figure why not share this? Let me know what you think!


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